Rocky Colavito vs Frank Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Rocky Colavito and Frank Howard are close to even, splitting the 14 statistical categories compared on this page 7–7. Rocky Colavito played 1955–1968 as a hitter; Frank Howard played 1958–1973 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
Rocky Colavito (1955–1968) and Frank Howard (1958–1973) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Rocky Colavito finished with 1,730 hits and 374 home runs; Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Howard, with 382 to Rocky Colavito's 374.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Howard, with .851 to Rocky Colavito's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Howard, with .273 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits? Frank Howard, with 1,774 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.
- Who drove in more runs? Rocky Colavito, with 1,159 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Howard, with 30,024 career PIV to Rocky Colavito's 28,223.
- Who won more championships? Frank Howard, with 2 World Series titles to Rocky Colavito's 0.
Rocky Colavito
Frank Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rocky Colavito and Frank Howard. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rocky Colavito | Frank Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,841 | Leads: 1,895 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,503 | 6,488 |
| Runs | Leads: 971 | 864 |
| Hits | 1,730 | Leads: 1,774 |
| Doubles | Leads: 283 | 245 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 35 |
| Home Runs | 374 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,159 | 1,119 |
| Walks | Leads: 951 | 782 |
| Strikeouts | 880 | 1,460 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 19 | 8 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .489 | Leads: .499 |
| OPS | .848 | Leads: .851 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Howard edges Rocky Colavito 30,024 to 28,223 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,766 vs 1,764 per year). 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).
Rocky Colavito — top 3 seasons by OPS
Frank Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Howard leads in hits, home runs, batting average, and OPS, while Rocky Colavito owns RBI, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Howard. PIV agrees: Frank Howard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Rocky Colavito vs Frank Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Rocky Colavito or Frank Howard hit more home runs?
- Frank Howard, with 382 to Rocky Colavito's 374.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Howard, with .851 to Rocky Colavito's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Howard, with .273 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Howard, with 1,774 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.