Frank Howard vs Mickey Mantle: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Mantle has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Mickey Mantle played 1951–1968 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 Mickey Mantle (1951–1968) — both debuted in the 1950s. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Mickey Mantle finished with 2,415 hits and 536 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Mickey Mantle, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mickey Mantle, with .298 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Mickey Mantle, with 2,415 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Mickey Mantle, with 1,509 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mickey Mantle, with 67,905 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Frank Howard
Mickey Mantle
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Mickey Mantle. 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 | Mickey Mantle |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,895 | 2,401 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,488 | 8,102 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 1,677 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 2,415 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 344 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 536 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,710 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 153 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .421 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | .851 | Leads: .977 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Mantle outpaces Frank Howard 67,905 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,773 PIV per season to 1,876, across 18 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
Mickey Mantle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Mickey Mantle leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Frank Howard leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mickey Mantle. PIV agrees: Mickey Mantle 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 Mickey Mantle careers compare
Frank Howard and Mickey Mantle were active at the same time between 1958 and 1968. With 1,895 games against 2,401 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Mickey Mantle. At the plate, Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782), while Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts). Mickey Mantle was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mickey Mantle's slugging percentage of .557 tops Frank Howard's .499.
Frank Howard vs Mickey Mantle: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Mickey Mantle?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Mantle leads Frank Howard in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Mickey Mantle hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mickey Mantle, with .298 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Mickey Mantle, with 2,415 to Frank Howard's 1,774.