Roberto Clemente vs Ralph Kiner: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they played in different run environments. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Roberto Clemente, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ralph Kiner, with 35,424 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Roberto Clemente
Ralph Kiner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Ralph Kiner. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Ralph Kiner |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 1,472 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 5,205 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 971 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 1,451 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 216 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 369 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,015 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,011 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 749 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 22 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .398 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .548 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .946 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ralph Kiner edges Roberto Clemente 35,424 to 34,131 — driven by per-season impact — 3,542 PIV per season to 1,896 — rather than by longevity, since Ralph Kiner played 10 seasons to Roberto Clemente's 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ralph Kiner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Roberto Clemente leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ralph Kiner leads 5: home runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. They played in different eras, and these rows are not era-adjusted. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ralph Kiner higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Ralph Kiner careers compare
From 1955 through 1955, Roberto Clemente and Ralph Kiner were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Roberto Clemente appeared in 2,433 games to Ralph Kiner's 1,472. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), while Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts). Ralph Kiner is the more power-leaning hitter, with 369 of 1,451 hits leaving the park. Ralph Kiner's slugging percentage of .548 tops Roberto Clemente's .475. Best seasons: 1970 for Roberto Clemente (.963 OPS, 14 HR, 60 RBI, .352 avg) and 1949 for Ralph Kiner (1.089 OPS, 54 HR, 127 RBI, .310 avg).
Roberto Clemente vs Ralph Kiner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Ralph Kiner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Ralph Kiner in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Ralph Kiner hit more home runs?
- Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.