Harry Heilmann vs Ken Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Harry Heilmann has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1910s. 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 leads the career comparison? Harry Heilmann, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- 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. 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 | Harry Heilmann | Ken Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,148 | 1,397 |
| At-Bats not scored | 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 not scored | 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 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,752 PIV per season to 1,900, across 17 seasons to 14. 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
Harry Heilmann leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ken Williams leads 3: home runs, stolen bases, and slugging percentage. 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
How the Harry Heilmann and Ken Williams careers compare
Harry Heilmann and Ken Williams were active at the same time between 1915 and 1929. Harry Heilmann has the far longer record, 2,148 games against 1,397 across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Ken Williams comes out ahead, it is in home runs (196 to 183), stolen bases (154 to 113), and slugging percentage (.530 to .520). At the plate, Harry Heilmann walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 550 strikeouts), and Ken Williams walked more often than struck out (566 walks, 287 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ken Williams's hits: 183 of 2,660 for Harry Heilmann, 196 of 1,552 for Ken Williams.
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 9 of the 12 scored 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.