Sam Crawford vs Harry Heilmann: Career Stats Comparison
Harry Heilmann 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; Harry Heilmann played 1914–1932 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
Sam Crawford (1899–1917) and Harry Heilmann (1914–1932) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1910s respectively, so they played in different run environments. Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs; Harry Heilmann finished with 2,660 hits and 183 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Harry Heilmann, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Harry Heilmann, with 183 to Sam Crawford's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harry Heilmann, with .930 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harry Heilmann, with .342 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Harry Heilmann's 2,660.
- Who drove in more runs? Harry Heilmann, with 1,539 to Sam Crawford's 1,519.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harry Heilmann, with 46,791 career PIV to Sam Crawford's 41,381.
Sam Crawford
Harry Heilmann
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sam Crawford and Harry Heilmann. 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, and the 1890s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sam Crawford | Harry Heilmann |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,517 | 2,148 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,570 | 7,787 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,391 | 1,291 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,961 | 2,660 |
| Doubles | 458 | Leads: 542 |
| Triples | Leads: 309 | 151 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 183 |
| RBI | 1,519 | Leads: 1,539 |
| Walks | 760 | Leads: 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 580 | 550 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 366 | 113 |
| Batting Avg | .309 | Leads: .342 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | .452 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .930 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harry Heilmann leads Sam Crawford 46,791 to 41,381 — driven by per-season impact — 2,752 PIV per season to 2,178 — rather than by longevity, since Harry Heilmann played 17 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
Harry Heilmann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Harry Heilmann leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: doubles, home runs, RBI, walks, and others. Sam Crawford leads 4: runs, hits, triples, and stolen bases. They played in different eras, and these rows are not era-adjusted. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harry Heilmann. PIV agrees: Harry Heilmann 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 Harry Heilmann careers compare
From 1914 through 1917, Sam Crawford and Harry Heilmann were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,517 games for Sam Crawford and 2,148 for Harry Heilmann across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Sam Crawford are runs (1,391 to 1,291), hits (2,961 to 2,660), and triples (309 to 151). Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts); Harry Heilmann walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 550 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Harry Heilmann's hits: 97 of 2,961 for Sam Crawford, 183 of 2,660 for Harry Heilmann.
Sam Crawford vs Harry Heilmann: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam Crawford or Harry Heilmann?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harry Heilmann leads Sam Crawford in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Sam Crawford or Harry Heilmann hit more home runs?
- Harry Heilmann, with 183 to Sam Crawford's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harry Heilmann, with .930 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harry Heilmann, with .342 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Harry Heilmann's 2,660.