Sam Crawford vs Willie Keeler: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Crawford 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; Willie Keeler played 1892–1910 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 Willie Keeler (1892–1910) — both debuted in the 1890s. Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs; Willie Keeler finished with 2,932 hits and 33 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Sam Crawford, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Crawford, with 97 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Crawford, with .814 to Willie Keeler's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Keeler, with .341 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Willie Keeler's 2,932.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Crawford, with 1,519 to Willie Keeler's 810.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Crawford, with 41,381 career PIV to Willie Keeler's 29,044.
Sam Crawford
Willie Keeler
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sam Crawford and Willie Keeler. 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 | Willie Keeler |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,517 | 2,123 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,570 | 8,591 |
| Runs | 1,391 | Leads: 1,719 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,961 | 2,932 |
| Doubles | Leads: 458 | 241 |
| Triples | Leads: 309 | 145 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 97 | 33 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,519 | 810 |
| Walks | Leads: 760 | 524 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 580 | 136 |
| Stolen Bases | 366 | Leads: 495 |
| Batting Avg | .309 | Leads: .341 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .452 | .415 |
| OPS | Leads: .814 | .802 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Crawford outpaces Willie Keeler 41,381 to 29,044 — driven by per-season impact — 2,178 PIV per season to 1,529 — rather than by longevity, since Sam Crawford played 19 seasons to Willie Keeler'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
Willie Keeler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Sam Crawford leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and others. Willie Keeler leads 4: runs, stolen bases, batting average, and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam Crawford. PIV agrees: Sam Crawford 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 Willie Keeler careers compare
Sam Crawford and Willie Keeler were active at the same time between 1899 and 1910. With 2,517 games against 2,123 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Willie Keeler are runs (1,719 to 1,391), stolen bases (495 to 366), and batting average (.341 to .309). Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts); Willie Keeler walked more often than struck out (524 walks, 136 strikeouts). Sam Crawford is the more power-leaning hitter, with 97 of 2,961 hits leaving the park.
Sam Crawford vs Willie Keeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam Crawford or Willie Keeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Crawford leads Willie Keeler in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Sam Crawford or Willie Keeler hit more home runs?
- Sam Crawford, with 97 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Crawford, with .814 to Willie Keeler's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Keeler, with .341 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Willie Keeler's 2,932.