Rickey Henderson vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Dave Parker's 2,712.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Rickey Henderson
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Dave Parker. 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 | Rickey Henderson | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 9,358 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,272 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,712 |
| Doubles | 510 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Dave Parker 37,642 to 23,542 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 1,177, across 29 seasons to 20. 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Dave Parker owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Dave Parker careers compare
Rickey Henderson and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1979 and 1991. With 3,081 games against 2,466 across 29 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Dave Parker's slugging percentage of .471 tops Rickey Henderson's .419. Best seasons: 1993 for Rickey Henderson (1.023 OPS, 17 HR, 47 RBI, .327 avg) and 1978 for Dave Parker (.979 OPS, 30 HR, 117 RBI, .334 avg).
Rickey Henderson vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Dave Parker in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Dave Parker's 2,712.