Elston Howard vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Lance Parrish 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). Elston Howard played 1955–1968 as a hitter; Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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 Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs; Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Parrish, with .753 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Elston Howard, with .274 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Elston Howard's 1,491.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Elston Howard's 775.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Parrish, with 6,792 career PIV to Elston Howard's 6,426.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Lance Parrish's 1.
Elston Howard
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Elston Howard and Lance Parrish. 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 1950s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Elston Howard | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,625 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 5,443 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | 635 | Leads: 856 |
| Hits | 1,491 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Doubles | 223 | Leads: 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 53 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 168 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 775 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Walks | 376 | Leads: 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 786 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | 10 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .321 | .313 |
| Slugging % | .427 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | .748 | Leads: .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Parrish edges Elston Howard 6,792 to 6,426 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Lance Parrish played 20 seasons to Elston Howard's 16, while Elston Howard carries the higher per-season figure (402 to 340). 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
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Parrish leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Elston Howard owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance Parrish. PIV agrees: Lance Parrish 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 Lance Parrish careers compare
No season is shared: Elston Howard played 1955–1968, Lance Parrish 1977–1995. With 1,625 games against 1,988 across 16 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Elston Howard comes out ahead, it is in triples (53 to 27), batting average (.274 to .252), and on-base percentage (.321 to .313). Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376); Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 168 of 1,491 for Elston Howard, 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish. In on-base percentage, Elston Howard holds the edge, .321 to .313.
Elston Howard vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Elston Howard or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Parrish leads Elston Howard in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Elston Howard or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Parrish, with .753 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Elston Howard, with .274 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Elston Howard's 1,491.