Billy Hamilton vs Tommy McCarthy: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Hamilton has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Billy Hamilton played 1888–1901 as a hitter; Tommy McCarthy played 1884–1896 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
Billy Hamilton (1888–1901) and Tommy McCarthy (1884–1896) — both broke in during the 1880s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Billy Hamilton finished with 2,164 hits and 40 home runs; Tommy McCarthy finished with 1,493 hits and 44 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tommy McCarthy, with 44 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Hamilton, with .888 to Tommy McCarthy's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Hamilton, with .344 to Tommy McCarthy's .292.
- Who had more hits? Billy Hamilton, with 2,164 to Tommy McCarthy's 1,493.
- Who drove in more runs? Billy Hamilton, with 742 to Tommy McCarthy's 732.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Hamilton, with 38,004 career PIV to Tommy McCarthy's 8,126.
Billy Hamilton
Tommy McCarthy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Billy Hamilton and Tommy McCarthy. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Billy Hamilton | Tommy McCarthy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,594 | 1,273 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,283 | 5,120 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,697 | 1,066 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,164 | 1,493 |
| Doubles | Leads: 242 | 191 |
| Triples | Leads: 95 | 53 |
| Home Runs | 40 | Leads: 44 |
| RBI | Leads: 742 | 732 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,189 | 536 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 362 | 185 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 914 | 468 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .344 | .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .455 | .364 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .432 | .375 |
| OPS | Leads: .888 | .740 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Hamilton outpaces Tommy McCarthy 38,004 to 8,126 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,715 PIV per season to 625, across 14 seasons to 13. 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).
Billy Hamilton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tommy McCarthy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Hamilton leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Tommy McCarthy owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Hamilton. PIV agrees: Billy Hamilton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Billy Hamilton and Tommy McCarthy careers compare
Billy Hamilton and Tommy McCarthy were active at the same time between 1888 and 1896. The two careers are close in length, 1,594 games for Billy Hamilton and 1,273 for Tommy McCarthy across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Tommy McCarthy comes out ahead, it is in home runs (44 to 40). Billy Hamilton walked more often than struck out (1,189 walks, 362 strikeouts); Tommy McCarthy walked more often than struck out (536 walks, 185 strikeouts). Tommy McCarthy is the more power-leaning hitter, with 44 of 1,493 hits leaving the park.
Billy Hamilton vs Tommy McCarthy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Billy Hamilton or Tommy McCarthy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Hamilton leads Tommy McCarthy in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Billy Hamilton or Tommy McCarthy hit more home runs?
- Tommy McCarthy, with 44 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Hamilton, with .888 to Tommy McCarthy's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Hamilton, with .344 to Tommy McCarthy's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Hamilton, with 2,164 to Tommy McCarthy's 1,493.