Ed Delahanty vs Billy Hamilton: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Delahanty 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). Ed Delahanty played 1888–1903 as a hitter; Billy Hamilton played 1888–1901 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
Ed Delahanty (1888–1903) and Billy Hamilton (1888–1901) — both debuted in the 1880s. Ed Delahanty finished with 2,597 hits and 101 home runs; Billy Hamilton finished with 2,164 hits and 40 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ed Delahanty, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ed Delahanty, with 101 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ed Delahanty, with .917 to Billy Hamilton's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ed Delahanty, with .346 to Billy Hamilton's .344.
- Who had more hits? Ed Delahanty, with 2,597 to Billy Hamilton's 2,164.
- Who drove in more runs? Ed Delahanty, with 1,466 to Billy Hamilton's 742.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ed Delahanty, with 44,188 career PIV to Billy Hamilton's 38,004.
Ed Delahanty
Billy Hamilton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ed Delahanty and Billy Hamilton. 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 | Ed Delahanty | Billy Hamilton |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,837 | 1,594 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,510 | 6,283 |
| Runs | 1,600 | Leads: 1,697 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,597 | 2,164 |
| Doubles | Leads: 522 | 242 |
| Triples | Leads: 186 | 95 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 101 | 40 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,466 | 742 |
| Walks | 742 | Leads: 1,189 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 439 | 362 |
| Stolen Bases | 456 | Leads: 914 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .346 | .344 |
| On-Base % | .411 | Leads: .455 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .432 |
| OPS | Leads: .917 | .888 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Delahanty leads Billy Hamilton 44,188 to 38,004 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,762 PIV per season to 2,715, across 16 seasons to 14. 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).
Ed Delahanty — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Hamilton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ed Delahanty leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and others. Billy Hamilton leads 4: runs, walks, stolen bases, and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Delahanty. PIV agrees: Ed Delahanty grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ed Delahanty and Billy Hamilton careers compare
Ed Delahanty and Billy Hamilton were active at the same time between 1888 and 1901. With 1,837 games against 1,594 across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Billy Hamilton's edges on the table are runs (1,697 to 1,600), walks (1,189 to 742), and stolen bases (914 to 456). At the plate, Ed Delahanty walked more often than struck out (742 walks, 439 strikeouts), and Billy Hamilton walked more often than struck out (1,189 walks, 362 strikeouts). Ed Delahanty is the more power-leaning hitter, with 101 of 2,597 hits leaving the park. Billy Hamilton was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ed Delahanty vs Billy Hamilton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ed Delahanty or Billy Hamilton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Delahanty leads Billy Hamilton in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ed Delahanty or Billy Hamilton hit more home runs?
- Ed Delahanty, with 101 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ed Delahanty, with .917 to Billy Hamilton's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ed Delahanty, with .346 to Billy Hamilton's .344.
- Who had more hits?
- Ed Delahanty, with 2,597 to Billy Hamilton's 2,164.