Rickey Henderson vs Ken Singleton: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Ken Singleton played 1970–1984 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 Ken Singleton (1970–1984) — 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; Ken Singleton finished with 2,029 hits and 246 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Singleton, with .824 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Singleton, with .282 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.
- Who drove in more runs? Rickey Henderson, with 1,115 to Ken Singleton's 1,065.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Ken Singleton's 29,530.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Singleton's 1.
Rickey Henderson
Ken Singleton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Ken Singleton. 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 | Ken Singleton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 2,082 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 7,189 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 985 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,029 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 317 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 297 | 246 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,115 | 1,065 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 1,263 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,246 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .388 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .436 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .824 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson leads Ken Singleton 37,642 to 29,530 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Ken Singleton's 15, while Ken Singleton carries the higher per-season figure (1,969 to 1,298). 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
Ken Singleton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ken Singleton owns batting average and OPS. 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 Ken Singleton careers compare
The careers of Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Ken Singleton (1970–1984) overlapped from 1979 to 1984, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson and 2,082 for Ken Singleton across 29 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ken Singleton comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.282 to .279), slugging percentage (.436 to .419), and OPS (.824 to .820). Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts); Ken Singleton walked more often than struck out (1,263 walks, 1,246 strikeouts).
Rickey Henderson vs Ken Singleton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Ken Singleton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Ken Singleton in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Ken Singleton hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Singleton, with .824 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Singleton, with .282 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.