Larry Doby vs Ralph Kiner: Career Stats Comparison
Larry Doby 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). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 as a hitter; Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 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
Larry Doby (1947–1959) and Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) — both debuted in the 1940s. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 home runs; Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Larry Doby, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Larry Doby's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average? Larry Doby, with .288 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Larry Doby, with 1,697 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Larry Doby, with 1,093 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ralph Kiner, with 35,424 career PIV to Larry Doby's 28,857.
Larry Doby
Ralph Kiner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby and Ralph Kiner. 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 | Larry Doby | Ralph Kiner |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,674 | 1,472 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,883 | 5,205 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,080 | 971 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,697 | 1,451 |
| Doubles | Leads: 277 | 216 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 273 | Leads: 369 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,093 | 1,015 |
| Walks | 945 | Leads: 1,011 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 749 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 64 | 22 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .389 | Leads: .398 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .548 |
| OPS | .888 | Leads: .946 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ralph Kiner leads Larry Doby 35,424 to 28,857 — driven by per-season impact — 3,542 PIV per season to 1,697 — rather than by longevity, since Ralph Kiner played 10 seasons to Larry Doby's 17. 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).
Larry Doby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ralph Kiner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Larry Doby leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ralph Kiner leads 5: home runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Larry Doby. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ralph Kiner higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Larry Doby and Ralph Kiner careers compare
Larry Doby and Ralph Kiner were active at the same time between 1947 and 1955. With 1,674 games against 1,472 across 17 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945), while Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts). Ralph Kiner is the more power-leaning hitter, with 369 of 1,451 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Ralph Kiner holds the edge, .548 to .499. On the peak-season lists, Larry Doby's best year is 1950 at .986 OPS and Ralph Kiner's is 1949 at 1.089 OPS; Ralph Kiner has the stronger single season.
Larry Doby vs Ralph Kiner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Ralph Kiner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Larry Doby leads Ralph Kiner in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Ralph Kiner hit more home runs?
- Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Larry Doby's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Larry Doby, with .288 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Larry Doby, with 1,697 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.