Ken Griffey vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey 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). Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 as a hitter; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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
Ken Griffey (1989–2010) and Duke Snider (1947–1964) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Duke Snider's 2,116.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Duke Snider's 1,333.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Duke Snider's 39,968.
- Who won more championships? Duke Snider, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Duke Snider. 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 1980s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 7,161 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,259 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 2,116 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 358 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 407 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,333 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 99 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .538 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: .919 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey leads Duke Snider 43,975 to 39,968 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ken Griffey played 23 seasons to Duke Snider's 18, while Duke Snider carries the higher per-season figure (2,220 to 1,912). 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).
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Duke Snider owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey and Duke Snider careers compare
No season is shared: Duke Snider played 1947–1964, Ken Griffey 1989–2010. With 2,671 games against 2,143 across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), and Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971). Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Duke Snider holds the edge, .540 to .538. Ken Griffey owns the better peak by OPS: 1.076 OPS in 1994 for Ken Griffey against 1.071 OPS in 1954 for Duke Snider.
Ken Griffey vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Duke Snider in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Duke Snider's 2,116.