Roger Connor vs George Kelly: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Connor has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roger Connor played 1880–1897 as a hitter; George Kelly played 1915–1932 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
Roger Connor (1880–1897) and George Kelly (1915–1932) — they broke in during the 1880s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roger Connor finished with 2,467 hits and 138 home runs; George Kelly finished with 1,778 hits and 148 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Kelly, with 148 to Roger Connor's 138.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roger Connor, with .883 to George Kelly's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roger Connor, with .316 to George Kelly's .297.
- Who had more hits? Roger Connor, with 2,467 to George Kelly's 1,778.
- Who drove in more runs? Roger Connor, with 1,323 to George Kelly's 1,020.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roger Connor, with 46,736 career PIV to George Kelly's 9,050.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roger Connor
George Kelly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Connor and George Kelly. 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 1880s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Connor | George Kelly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,998 | 1,622 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,797 | 5,993 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,620 | 819 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,467 | 1,778 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 337 |
| Triples | Leads: 233 | 76 |
| Home Runs | 138 | Leads: 148 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,323 | 1,020 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,002 | 386 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 455 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 244 | 65 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .316 | .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .397 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .486 | .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .883 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Connor outpaces George Kelly 46,736 to 9,050 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,460 PIV per season to 503, across 19 seasons to 18. 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).
Roger Connor — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Connor leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while George Kelly owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Connor. PIV agrees: Roger Connor grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Connor and George Kelly careers compare
No season is shared: Roger Connor played 1880–1897, George Kelly 1915–1932. With 1,998 games against 1,622 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. George Kelly's edges on the table are home runs (148 to 138). At the plate, Roger Connor walked more often than struck out (1,002 walks, 455 strikeouts), while George Kelly struck out more than walked (694 to 386). George Kelly is the more power-leaning hitter, with 148 of 1,778 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Roger Connor stole more often per game played (244 steals in 1,998 games for Roger Connor, 65 in 1,622 for George Kelly).
Roger Connor vs George Kelly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Connor or George Kelly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Connor leads George Kelly in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Connor or George Kelly hit more home runs?
- George Kelly, with 148 to Roger Connor's 138.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roger Connor, with .883 to George Kelly's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roger Connor, with .316 to George Kelly's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Roger Connor, with 2,467 to George Kelly's 1,778.