Sam Crawford vs Ed Delahanty: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Delahanty has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sam Crawford played 1899–1917 as a hitter; Ed Delahanty played 1888–1903 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
Sam Crawford (1899–1917) and Ed Delahanty (1888–1903) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1880s respectively and share 5 seasons. Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs; Ed Delahanty finished with 2,597 hits and 101 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ed Delahanty, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ed Delahanty, with 101 to Sam Crawford's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ed Delahanty, with .917 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ed Delahanty, with .346 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Ed Delahanty's 2,597.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Crawford, with 1,519 to Ed Delahanty's 1,466.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ed Delahanty, with 44,188 career PIV to Sam Crawford's 41,381.
Sam Crawford
Ed Delahanty
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sam Crawford and Ed Delahanty. 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 | Sam Crawford | Ed Delahanty |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,517 | 1,837 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,570 | 7,510 |
| Runs | 1,391 | Leads: 1,600 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,961 | 2,597 |
| Doubles | 458 | Leads: 522 |
| Triples | Leads: 309 | 186 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 101 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,519 | 1,466 |
| Walks | Leads: 760 | 742 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 580 | 439 |
| Stolen Bases | 366 | Leads: 456 |
| Batting Avg | .309 | Leads: .346 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .411 |
| Slugging % | .452 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .917 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Delahanty edges Sam Crawford 44,188 to 41,381 — driven by per-season impact — 2,762 PIV per season to 2,178 — rather than by longevity, since Ed Delahanty played 16 seasons to Sam Crawford's 19. 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).
Sam Crawford — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ed Delahanty — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ed Delahanty leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, home runs, stolen bases, and others. Sam Crawford leads 4: hits, triples, RBI, and walks. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Delahanty. PIV agrees: Ed Delahanty grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sam Crawford and Ed Delahanty careers compare
Sam Crawford and Ed Delahanty were active at the same time between 1899 and 1903. The two careers are close in length, 2,517 games for Sam Crawford and 1,837 for Ed Delahanty across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Sam Crawford comes out ahead, it is in hits (2,961 to 2,597), triples (309 to 186), and RBI (1,519 to 1,466). Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts); Ed Delahanty walked more often than struck out (742 walks, 439 strikeouts).
Sam Crawford vs Ed Delahanty: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam Crawford or Ed Delahanty?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Delahanty leads Sam Crawford in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Sam Crawford or Ed Delahanty hit more home runs?
- Ed Delahanty, with 101 to Sam Crawford's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ed Delahanty, with .917 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ed Delahanty, with .346 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Ed Delahanty's 2,597.