Sam Crawford vs Zack Wheat: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Crawford has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 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 Zack Wheat (1909–1927) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1900s respectively and share 9 seasons. Sam Crawford finished with 2,961 hits and 97 home runs; Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 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 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Zack Wheat, with 132 to Sam Crawford's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Zack Wheat, with .817 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Zack Wheat, with .317 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits? Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Zack Wheat's 2,884.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Crawford, with 1,519 to Zack Wheat's 1,248.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Crawford, with 41,381 career PIV to Zack Wheat's 30,370.
Sam Crawford
Zack Wheat
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sam Crawford and Zack Wheat. 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 | Zack Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,517 | 2,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,570 | 9,106 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,391 | 1,289 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,961 | 2,884 |
| Doubles | 458 | Leads: 476 |
| Triples | Leads: 309 | 172 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 132 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,519 | 1,248 |
| Walks | Leads: 760 | 650 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 580 | 572 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 366 | 205 |
| Batting Avg | .309 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .452 | .450 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Crawford outpaces Zack Wheat 41,381 to 30,370 — driven by per-season impact — 2,178 PIV per season to 1,598 — rather than by longevity, since Sam Crawford played 19 seasons to Zack Wheat'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
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Sam Crawford leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, RBI, and others. Zack Wheat leads 5: doubles, home runs, batting average, on-base percentage, and others. 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 Zack Wheat careers compare
The careers of Sam Crawford (1899–1917) and Zack Wheat (1909–1927) overlapped from 1909 to 1917, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,517 games against 2,410 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Sam Crawford walked more often than struck out (760 walks, 580 strikeouts), and Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts). Zack Wheat is the more power-leaning hitter, with 132 of 2,884 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Sam Crawford stole more often per game played (366 steals in 2,517 games for Sam Crawford, 205 in 2,410 for Zack Wheat).
Sam Crawford vs Zack Wheat: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam Crawford or Zack Wheat?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Crawford leads Zack Wheat in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Sam Crawford or Zack Wheat hit more home runs?
- Zack Wheat, with 132 to Sam Crawford's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Zack Wheat, with .817 to Sam Crawford's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Zack Wheat, with .317 to Sam Crawford's .309.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Crawford, with 2,961 to Zack Wheat's 2,884.