Rickey Henderson vs Duke Snider: 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; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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 Duke Snider (1947–1964) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Duke Snider, with 407 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Duke Snider's 2,116.
- Who drove in more runs? Duke Snider, with 1,333 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Duke Snider, with 39,968 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Rickey Henderson
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Duke Snider. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 7,161 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,259 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,116 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 358 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 407 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,333 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 99 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .380 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .919 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Duke Snider edges Rickey Henderson 39,968 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 2,220 PIV per season to 1,298 — rather than by longevity, since Duke Snider played 18 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 29. 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
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Duke Snider leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Rickey Henderson owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Duke Snider. PIV agrees: Duke Snider 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 Duke Snider careers compare
No season is shared: Duke Snider played 1947–1964, Rickey Henderson 1979–2003. The two careers are close in length, 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson and 2,143 for Duke Snider across 29 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971). Duke Snider is the more power-leaning hitter, with 407 of 2,116 hits leaving the park. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Duke Snider's slugging percentage of .540 tops Rickey Henderson's .419.
Rickey Henderson vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Duke Snider in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Duke Snider, with 407 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Duke Snider's 2,116.