Andre Dawson vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson 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; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — 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; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 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 Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Parker, with .810 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Dave Parker's 2,712.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Dave Parker's 1,493.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Andre Dawson's 0.
Andre Dawson
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson and Dave Parker. 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 | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,627 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,927 | 9,358 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,373 | 1,272 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,774 | 2,712 |
| Doubles | 503 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 438 | 339 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,591 | 1,493 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .471 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker leads Andre Dawson 23,542 to 20,948 — driven by per-season impact — 1,177 PIV per season to 998 — rather than by longevity, since Dave Parker played 20 seasons to Andre Dawson's 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
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Dave Parker owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. Note that PIV actually grades Dave Parker ahead, which means Andre Dawson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andre Dawson and Dave Parker careers compare
The careers of Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) overlapped from 1976 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,627 games against 2,466 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589), and Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Andre Dawson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. On the peak-season lists, Andre Dawson's best year is 1981 at .918 OPS and Dave Parker's is 1978 at .979 OPS; Dave Parker has the stronger single season.
Andre Dawson vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Dave Parker in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Parker, with .810 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Dave Parker's 2,712.