Billy Hamilton vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Billy Hamilton played 1888–1901 as a hitter; Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 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 Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — both debuted in the 1880s. Billy Hamilton finished with 2,164 hits and 40 home runs; Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 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? Sam Thompson, with 126 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Billy Hamilton's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Hamilton, with .344 to Sam Thompson's .331.
- Who had more hits? Billy Hamilton, with 2,164 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Billy Hamilton's 742.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Hamilton, with 38,004 career PIV to Sam Thompson's 29,910.
Billy Hamilton
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson. 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 | Billy Hamilton | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,594 | 1,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,283 | 5,998 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,697 | 1,261 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,164 | 1,988 |
| Doubles | 242 | Leads: 343 |
| Triples | 95 | Leads: 161 |
| Home Runs | 40 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 742 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,189 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 362 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 914 | 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .344 | .331 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .455 | .384 |
| Slugging % | .432 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .888 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Hamilton leads Sam Thompson 38,004 to 29,910 — driven by per-season impact — 2,715 PIV per season to 1,994 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Hamilton played 14 seasons to Sam Thompson's 15. 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).
Billy Hamilton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson 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 Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson careers compare
Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson were active at the same time between 1888 and 1901. The two careers are close in length, 1,594 games for Billy Hamilton and 1,410 for Sam Thompson across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Billy Hamilton walked more often than struck out (1,189 walks, 362 strikeouts), and Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Sam Thompson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 1,988 hits leaving the park. Billy Hamilton was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Billy Hamilton vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Billy Hamilton or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Billy Hamilton or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Billy Hamilton's 40.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Billy Hamilton's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Hamilton, with .344 to Sam Thompson's .331.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Hamilton, with 2,164 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.