Rickey Henderson vs Reggie Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 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 Smith (1966–1982) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Smith, with 314 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Smith, with .855 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Reggie Smith, with .287 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Rickey Henderson, with 1,115 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Reggie Smith's 32,131.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Reggie Smith's 1.
Rickey Henderson
Reggie Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Reggie Smith. 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, and the 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Reggie Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 1,987 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 7,033 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,123 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 363 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 57 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 314 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,115 | 1,092 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 890 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,030 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .287 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .366 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson leads Reggie Smith 37,642 to 32,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Reggie Smith's 18, while Reggie Smith carries the higher per-season figure (1,785 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
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Reggie Smith owns home runs, 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 Reggie Smith careers compare
From 1979 through 1982, Rickey Henderson and Reggie Smith were in the majors together. The table compares 3,081 games of Rickey Henderson with 1,987 of Reggie Smith across 29 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Reggie Smith comes out ahead, it is in home runs (314 to 297), batting average (.287 to .279), and slugging percentage (.489 to .419). At the plate, Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), while Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890). Reggie Smith is the more power-leaning hitter, with 314 of 2,020 hits leaving the park.
Rickey Henderson vs Reggie Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Reggie Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Reggie Smith in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Reggie Smith hit more home runs?
- Reggie Smith, with 314 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Smith, with .855 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Reggie Smith, with .287 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.