Hugh Duffy vs Billy Hamilton: Career Stats Comparison
Hugh Duffy and Billy Hamilton are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hugh Duffy played 1888–1906 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
Hugh Duffy (1888–1906) and Billy Hamilton (1888–1901) — both debuted in the 1880s. Hugh Duffy finished with 2,293 hits and 106 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? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Hugh Duffy, with 106 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Hamilton, with .888 to Hugh Duffy's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Hamilton, with .344 to Hugh Duffy's .326.
- Who had more hits? Hugh Duffy, with 2,293 to Billy Hamilton's 2,164.
- Who drove in more runs? Hugh Duffy, with 1,302 to Billy Hamilton's 742.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Hamilton, with 38,004 career PIV to Hugh Duffy's 25,018.
Hugh Duffy
Billy Hamilton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hugh Duffy 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 | Hugh Duffy | Billy Hamilton |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,737 | 1,594 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,044 | 6,283 |
| Runs | 1,554 | Leads: 1,697 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,293 | 2,164 |
| Doubles | Leads: 325 | 242 |
| Triples | Leads: 119 | 95 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 106 | 40 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,302 | 742 |
| Walks | 664 | Leads: 1,189 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 268 | 362 |
| Stolen Bases | 574 | Leads: 914 |
| Batting Avg | .326 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .386 | Leads: .455 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .451 | .432 |
| OPS | .837 | Leads: .888 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Hamilton outpaces Hugh Duffy 38,004 to 25,018 — driven by per-season impact — 2,715 PIV per season to 1,472 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Hamilton played 14 seasons to Hugh Duffy'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).
Hugh Duffy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Hamilton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hugh Duffy and Billy Hamilton split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Billy Hamilton higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hugh Duffy and Billy Hamilton careers compare
From 1888 through 1901, Hugh Duffy and Billy Hamilton were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,737 games for Hugh Duffy and 1,594 for Billy Hamilton across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Hugh Duffy walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 268 strikeouts), and Billy Hamilton walked more often than struck out (1,189 walks, 362 strikeouts). Hugh Duffy is the more power-leaning hitter, with 106 of 2,293 hits leaving the park. Billy Hamilton was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Billy Hamilton holds the edge, .455 to .386.
Hugh Duffy vs Billy Hamilton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hugh Duffy or Billy Hamilton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Hugh Duffy or Billy Hamilton hit more home runs?
- Hugh Duffy, with 106 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Hamilton, with .888 to Hugh Duffy's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Hamilton, with .344 to Hugh Duffy's .326.
- Who had more hits?
- Hugh Duffy, with 2,293 to Billy Hamilton's 2,164.