Andre Dawson vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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
Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Andre Dawson's 0.
Andre Dawson
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson and Rickey Henderson. 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 | Andre Dawson | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,627 | Leads: 3,081 |
| At-Bats | 9,927 | Leads: 10,961 |
| Runs | 1,373 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | 2,774 | Leads: 3,055 |
| Doubles | 503 | Leads: 510 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 438 | 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,591 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 314 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .419 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Andre Dawson 37,642 to 20,948 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 998, across 29 seasons to 21. 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).
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Andre Dawson owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andre Dawson and Rickey Henderson careers compare
Andre Dawson and Rickey Henderson were active at the same time between 1979 and 1996. The two careers are close in length, 2,627 games for Andre Dawson and 3,081 for Rickey Henderson across 21 and 29 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589), but Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Andre Dawson's hits: 438 of 2,774 for Andre Dawson, 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson.
Andre Dawson vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Rickey Henderson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Andre Dawson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.