Roberto Clemente vs Willie Mays: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Willie Mays played 1951–1973 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 Willie Mays (1951–1973) — both debuted in the 1950s. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Willie Mays, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Roberto Clemente
Willie Mays
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Willie Mays |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 3,005 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 10,924 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 2,068 |
| Hits | 3,000 | Leads: 3,293 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 141 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 660 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,909 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,468 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,526 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 339 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .301 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Roberto Clemente 74,062 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,220 PIV per season to 1,896, across 23 seasons to 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
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Willie Mays leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Roberto Clemente leads 2: triples and batting average. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays were active at the same time between 1955 and 1972. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 3,005 for Willie Mays across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Roberto Clemente's edges on the table are triples (166 to 141) and batting average (.317 to .301). Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468). Willie Mays is the more power-leaning hitter, with 660 of 3,293 hits leaving the park.
Roberto Clemente vs Willie Mays: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Willie Mays?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Roberto Clemente in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Willie Mays hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.