Elmer Flick vs King Kelly: Career Stats Comparison
Elmer Flick and King Kelly are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Elmer Flick played 1898–1910 as a hitter; King Kelly played 1878–1893 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
Elmer Flick (1898–1910) and King Kelly (1878–1893) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1870s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Elmer Flick finished with 1,752 hits and 48 home runs; King Kelly finished with 1,813 hits and 69 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? King Kelly, with 69 to Elmer Flick's 48.
- Who had the higher OPS? Elmer Flick, with .834 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Elmer Flick, with .313 to King Kelly's .307.
- Who had more hits? King Kelly, with 1,813 to Elmer Flick's 1,752.
- Who drove in more runs? King Kelly, with 950 to Elmer Flick's 756.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Elmer Flick, with 29,192 career PIV to King Kelly's 27,425.
Elmer Flick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Elmer Flick and King Kelly. 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, and the 1890s and the 1870s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Elmer Flick | King Kelly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,483 | 1,456 |
| At-Bats | 5,597 | Leads: 5,896 |
| Runs | 950 | Leads: 1,357 |
| Hits | 1,752 | Leads: 1,813 |
| Doubles | 268 | Leads: 359 |
| Triples | Leads: 164 | 102 |
| Home Runs | 48 | Leads: 69 |
| RBI | 756 | Leads: 950 |
| Walks | Leads: 597 | 549 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 567 | 418 |
| Stolen Bases | 330 | Leads: 368 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .368 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .445 | .438 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .806 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Elmer Flick edges King Kelly 29,192 to 27,425 — driven by per-season impact — 2,085 PIV per season to 1,524 — rather than by longevity, since Elmer Flick played 14 seasons to King Kelly's 18. 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).
Elmer Flick — top 3 seasons by OPS
King Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, King Kelly leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Elmer Flick owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to King Kelly. Note that PIV actually grades Elmer Flick ahead, which means King Kelly's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Elmer Flick and King Kelly careers compare
King Kelly (1878–1893) was finished before Elmer Flick (1898–1910) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,483 games for Elmer Flick and 1,456 for King Kelly across 14 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Elmer Flick walked more often than struck out (597 walks, 567 strikeouts), and King Kelly walked more often than struck out (549 walks, 418 strikeouts). King Kelly is the more power-leaning hitter, with 69 of 1,813 hits leaving the park. King Kelly was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Elmer Flick holds the edge, .445 to .438.
Elmer Flick vs King Kelly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Elmer Flick or King Kelly hit more home runs?
- King Kelly, with 69 to Elmer Flick's 48.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Elmer Flick, with .834 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Elmer Flick, with .313 to King Kelly's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- King Kelly, with 1,813 to Elmer Flick's 1,752.