Roberto Clemente vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Stargell (1962–1982) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 11 seasons. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Roberto Clemente
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. 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 Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell leads Roberto Clemente 42,804 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Willie Stargell higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1962 and 1972. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Home runs make up a larger share of Willie Stargell's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 475 of 2,232 for Willie Stargell. Willie Stargell's on-base percentage of .360 tops Roberto Clemente's .359.
Roberto Clemente vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.