Elston Howard vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Elston Howard played 1955–1968 as a hitter; Al Kaline played 1953–1974 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
Elston Howard (1955–1968) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs; Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Elston Howard's 1,491.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Elston Howard's 775.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Elston Howard's 6,426.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Elston Howard
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Elston Howard and Al Kaline. 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 | Elston Howard | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,625 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 5,443 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 635 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,491 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 223 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 53 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 168 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 775 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 376 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 786 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 10 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .321 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .427 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .748 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Elston Howard 45,087 to 6,426 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 402, across 22 seasons to 16. 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).
Elston Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Elston Howard owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. PIV agrees: Al Kaline grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Elston Howard and Al Kaline careers compare
From 1955 through 1968, Elston Howard and Al Kaline were in the majors together. Al Kaline has the far longer record, 2,834 games against 1,625 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Every scored category on the table goes to Al Kaline. Plate discipline differs: Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376), but Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Al Kaline was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Best seasons: 1961 for Elston Howard (.936 OPS, 21 HR, 77 RBI, .348 avg) and 1962 for Al Kaline (.969 OPS, 29 HR, 94 RBI, .304 avg).
Elston Howard vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Elston Howard or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Elston Howard in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Elston Howard or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Elston Howard's 1,491.