Frank Howard vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Frank Howard played 1958–1973 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Howard, with 382 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Howard, with .851 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Howard, with 30,024 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Frank Howard
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Dave Parker. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Frank Howard | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,895 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 6,488 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 339 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 782 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .352 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .851 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Howard leads Dave Parker 30,024 to 23,542 — driven by per-season impact — 1,766 PIV per season to 1,177 — rather than by longevity, since Frank Howard played 17 seasons to Dave Parker's 20. 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).
Frank Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Frank Howard owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. Note that PIV actually grades Frank Howard ahead, which means Dave Parker's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Frank Howard and Dave Parker careers compare
Frank Howard and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1973 and 1973. The two careers are close in length, 1,895 games for Frank Howard and 2,466 for Dave Parker across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782); Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Home runs make up a larger share of Frank Howard's hits: 382 of 1,774 for Frank Howard, 339 of 2,712 for Dave Parker. Dave Parker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Frank Howard's slugging percentage of .499 tops Dave Parker's .471.
Frank Howard vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Frank Howard in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Frank Howard, with 382 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Howard, with .851 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Frank Howard's 1,774.