Elston Howard vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Elston Howard, with 168 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pete Rose, with .784 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Elston Howard's 1,491.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Elston Howard's 775.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Elston Howard's 6,426.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Pete Rose's 3.
Elston Howard
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Elston Howard and Pete Rose. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Elston Howard | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,625 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 5,443 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 635 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 1,491 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 223 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 53 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 168 | 160 |
| RBI | 775 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 376 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 786 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 10 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .321 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .427 | .409 |
| OPS | .748 | Leads: .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Elston Howard 40,772 to 6,426 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 402, across 25 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Elston Howard owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
Elston Howard and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1963 and 1968. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 1,625 across 16 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Elston Howard's edges on the table are home runs (168 to 160) and slugging percentage (.427 to .409). At the plate, Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376), while Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Elston Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 168 of 1,491 hits leaving the park. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Elston Howard vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Elston Howard or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Elston Howard in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Elston Howard or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Elston Howard, with 168 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pete Rose, with .784 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Elston Howard's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Elston Howard's 1,491.