Rickey Henderson vs Reggie Jackson: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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
Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 9 seasons. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Rickey Henderson, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rickey Henderson, with .279 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
Rickey Henderson
Reggie Jackson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Reggie Jackson. 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 | Rickey Henderson | Reggie Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,081 | 2,820 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,961 | 9,864 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,551 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,584 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 463 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 49 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 563 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,702 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 1,375 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 2,597 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 228 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .356 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .846 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson leads Rickey Henderson 41,801 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 1,991 PIV per season to 1,506 — rather than by longevity, since Reggie Jackson played 21 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 25. 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Rickey Henderson leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Reggie Jackson leads 4: home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Reggie Jackson higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Reggie Jackson careers compare
The careers of Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) overlapped from 1979 to 1987, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 3,081 games against 2,820 across 25 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Reggie Jackson are home runs (563 to 297), RBI (1,702 to 1,115), and slugging percentage (.490 to .419). Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375). Home runs make up a larger share of Reggie Jackson's hits: 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson, 563 of 2,584 for Reggie Jackson.
Rickey Henderson vs Reggie Jackson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Reggie Jackson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Reggie Jackson in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Reggie Jackson hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rickey Henderson, with .279 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.