Frank Howard vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Frank Howard played 1958–1973 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
Frank Howard (1958–1973) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — both debuted in the 1950s. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 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 leads the career comparison? Al Kaline, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Frank Howard
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Al Kaline. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Frank Howard | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,895 | 2,834 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,488 | 10,116 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .480 |
| OPS | .851 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Frank Howard 45,087 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,876, across 22 seasons to 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Frank Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Frank Howard leads 1: slugging percentage. 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 Frank Howard and Al Kaline careers compare
Frank Howard and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1958 and 1973. The two careers are close in length, 1,895 games for Frank Howard and 2,834 for Al Kaline across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Frank Howard's edges on the table are slugging percentage (.499 to .480). At the plate, Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782), while Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Frank Howard's hits: 382 of 1,774 for Frank Howard, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline.
Frank Howard vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Frank Howard in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Frank Howard's 1,774.