Roberto Clemente vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — both debuted in the 1950s. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Frank Robinson, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Roberto Clemente
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson. 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 | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 2,808 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 10,006 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,829 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,943 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 586 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,812 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 204 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .294 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .389 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .537 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .926 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Roberto Clemente 67,113 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,196 PIV per season to 1,896, across 21 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
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Frank Robinson leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, and others. Roberto Clemente leads 3: hits, triples, and batting average. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson 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 Frank Robinson careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson were active at the same time between 1956 and 1972. With 2,433 games against 2,808 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Roberto Clemente's edges on the table are hits (3,000 to 2,943), triples (166 to 72), and batting average (.317 to .294). At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). Home runs make up a larger share of Frank Robinson's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 586 of 2,943 for Frank Robinson.
Roberto Clemente vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Roberto Clemente in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.