Ty Cobb vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ty Cobb played 1905–1928 as a hitter; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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
Ty Cobb (1905–1928) and Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they broke in during the 1900s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Ty Cobb's .945.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Ted Williams's .344.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Ty Cobb, with 1,944 to Ted Williams's 1,839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Ty Cobb's 87,488.
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ty Cobb and Ted Williams. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1900s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ty Cobb | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,035 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,436 | 7,706 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,247 | 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,189 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | Leads: 724 | 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 295 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,944 | 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,249 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 680 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 896 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .366 | .344 |
| On-Base % | .433 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .512 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .945 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams leads Ty Cobb 96,302 to 87,488 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 3,645 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Ty Cobb's 24. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Ty Cobb — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ty Cobb leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ted Williams owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ty Cobb. Note that PIV actually grades Ted Williams ahead, which means Ty Cobb's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ty Cobb and Ted Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Ty Cobb played 1905–1928, Ted Williams 1939–1960. With 3,035 games against 2,292 across 24 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts); Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). Ted Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,654 hits leaving the park. Ty Cobb was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Ted Williams holds the edge, .482 to .433. Ted Williams owns the better peak by OPS: 1.088 OPS in 1911 for Ty Cobb against 1.287 OPS in 1941 for Ted Williams.
Ty Cobb vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ty Cobb or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Ted Williams in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ty Cobb or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Ty Cobb's .945.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Ted Williams's .344.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Ted Williams's 2,654.