Harry Heilmann vs Ken Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Harry Heilmann has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Harry Heilmann played 1914–1932 as a hitter; Ken Williams played 1915–1929 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
Harry Heilmann (1914–1932) and Ken Williams (1915–1929) — both broke in during the 1910s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harry Heilmann finished with 2,660 hits and 183 home runs; Ken Williams finished with 1,552 hits and 196 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Williams, with 196 to Harry Heilmann's 183.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harry Heilmann, with .930 to Ken Williams's .924.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harry Heilmann, with .342 to Ken Williams's .319.
- Who had more hits? Harry Heilmann, with 2,660 to Ken Williams's 1,552.
- Who drove in more runs? Harry Heilmann, with 1,539 to Ken Williams's 913.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harry Heilmann, with 46,791 career PIV to Ken Williams's 26,593.
Harry Heilmann
Ken Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harry Heilmann and Ken Williams. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harry Heilmann | Ken Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,148 | 1,397 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,787 | 4,862 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,291 | 860 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,660 | 1,552 |
| Doubles | Leads: 542 | 285 |
| Triples | Leads: 151 | 77 |
| Home Runs | 183 | Leads: 196 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,539 | 913 |
| Walks | Leads: 856 | 566 |
| Strikeouts | 550 | 287 |
| Stolen Bases | 113 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .342 | .319 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .410 | .393 |
| Slugging % | .520 | Leads: .530 |
| OPS | Leads: .930 | .924 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harry Heilmann outpaces Ken Williams 46,791 to 26,593 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,752 vs 1,900 per year). 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).
Harry Heilmann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harry Heilmann leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Ken Williams owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harry Heilmann. PIV agrees: Harry Heilmann grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Harry Heilmann vs Ken Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harry Heilmann or Ken Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harry Heilmann leads Ken Williams in 11 of 14 categories.
- Did Harry Heilmann or Ken Williams hit more home runs?
- Ken Williams, with 196 to Harry Heilmann's 183.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harry Heilmann, with .930 to Ken Williams's .924.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harry Heilmann, with .342 to Ken Williams's .319.
- Who had more hits?
- Harry Heilmann, with 2,660 to Ken Williams's 1,552.