Frank Howard vs Tony Oliva: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Oliva has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Tony Oliva played 1962–1976 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 Tony Oliva (1962–1976) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 12 seasons. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Tony Oliva finished with 1,917 hits and 220 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tony Oliva, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Howard, with 382 to Tony Oliva's 220.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Howard, with .851 to Tony Oliva's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Oliva, with .304 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Tony Oliva, with 1,917 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Howard, with 1,119 to Tony Oliva's 947.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Howard, with 30,024 career PIV to Tony Oliva's 23,924.
Frank Howard
Tony Oliva
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Tony Oliva. 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 | Tony Oliva |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,895 | 1,676 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,488 | 6,301 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 870 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 1,917 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 329 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 48 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 220 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,119 | 947 |
| Walks | Leads: 782 | 448 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 645 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 86 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .304 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .476 |
| OPS | Leads: .851 | .830 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Howard leads Tony Oliva 30,024 to 23,924 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,876 PIV per season to 1,595, across 16 seasons to 15. 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
Tony Oliva — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Tony Oliva leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Frank Howard leads 5: home runs, RBI, walks, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Oliva. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Frank Howard higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Frank Howard and Tony Oliva careers compare
From 1962 through 1973, Frank Howard and Tony Oliva were in the majors together. With 1,895 games against 1,676 across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782); Tony Oliva struck out more than walked (645 to 448). Frank Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,774 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Tony Oliva holds the edge, .353 to .352. Frank Howard owns the better peak by OPS: .976 OPS in 1969 for Frank Howard against .916 OPS in 1964 for Tony Oliva.
Frank Howard vs Tony Oliva: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Tony Oliva?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Oliva leads Frank Howard in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Tony Oliva hit more home runs?
- Frank Howard, with 382 to Tony Oliva's 220.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Howard, with .851 to Tony Oliva's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Oliva, with .304 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Oliva, with 1,917 to Frank Howard's 1,774.