Frank Howard vs Willie Mays: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays 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; Willie Mays played 1951–1973 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 Willie Mays (1951–1973) — both debuted in the 1950s. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Willie Mays, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Frank Howard
Willie Mays
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Willie Mays. 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 | Willie Mays |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,895 | 3,005 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,488 | 10,924 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 2,068 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 3,293 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 660 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,909 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 1,468 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,526 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 339 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .301 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | .851 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Frank Howard 74,062 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,220 PIV per season to 1,876, across 23 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
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Willie Mays 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 Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays 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 Willie Mays careers compare
From 1958 through 1973, Frank Howard and Willie Mays were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Frank Howard appeared in 1,895 games to Willie Mays's 3,005. Every scored category on the table goes to Willie Mays. At the plate, Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782), and Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468). On the bases, Willie Mays stole more often per game played (8 steals in 1,895 games for Frank Howard, 339 in 3,005 for Willie Mays). In slugging percentage, Willie Mays holds the edge, .557 to .499.
Frank Howard vs Willie Mays: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Willie Mays?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Frank Howard in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Willie Mays hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Frank Howard's 1,774.