Sam Crawford vs Roy Thomas: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Crawford has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Sam Crawford played 1899–1917 as a hitter; Roy Thomas played 1899–1911 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 Roy Thomas (1899–1911) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs; Roy Thomas finished with 1,537 hits and 7 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Crawford, with 97 to Roy Thomas's 7.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Crawford, with .814 to Roy Thomas's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Crawford, with .309 to Roy Thomas's .290.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Roy Thomas's 1,537.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Crawford, with 1,519 to Roy Thomas's 299.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Crawford, with 41,381 career PIV to Roy Thomas's 22,392.
Sam Crawford
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sam Crawford and Roy Thomas. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sam Crawford | Roy Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,517 | 1,470 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,570 | 5,296 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,391 | 1,011 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,961 | 1,537 |
| Doubles | Leads: 458 | 100 |
| Triples | Leads: 309 | 53 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 97 | 7 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,519 | 299 |
| Walks | 760 | Leads: 1,042 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 580 | 521 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 366 | 244 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .309 | .290 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .413 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .452 | .333 |
| OPS | Leads: .814 | .747 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Crawford outpaces Roy Thomas 41,381 to 22,392 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,178 PIV per season to 1,599, across 19 seasons to 14. 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).
Sam Crawford — top 3 seasons by OPS
Roy Thomas — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sam Crawford leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Roy Thomas owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Roy Thomas careers compare
From 1899 through 1911, Sam Crawford and Roy Thomas were in the majors together. Sam Crawford has the far longer record, 2,517 games against 1,470 across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Roy Thomas comes out ahead, it is in walks (1,042 to 760) and on-base percentage (.413 to .362). At the plate, Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts), and Roy Thomas walked more often than struck out (1,042 walks, 521 strikeouts). Sam Crawford is the more power-leaning hitter, with 97 of 2,961 hits leaving the park. Roy Thomas was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Sam Crawford vs Roy Thomas: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam Crawford or Roy Thomas?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Crawford leads Roy Thomas in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Sam Crawford or Roy Thomas hit more home runs?
- Sam Crawford, with 97 to Roy Thomas's 7.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Crawford, with .814 to Roy Thomas's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Crawford, with .309 to Roy Thomas's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Roy Thomas's 1,537.