Frank Howard vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson 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; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — both debuted in the 1950s. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Frank Robinson, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Frank Howard
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Frank Robinson. 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 | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,895 | 2,808 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,488 | 10,006 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 1,829 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 2,943 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 586 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,812 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 204 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .389 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .537 |
| OPS | .851 | Leads: .926 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Frank Howard 67,113 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,196 PIV per season to 1,876, across 21 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
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Frank Robinson 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 Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson 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 Frank Robinson careers compare
From 1958 through 1973, Frank Howard and Frank Robinson were in the majors together. With 1,895 games against 2,808 across 16 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Frank Robinson leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782), and Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). Frank Robinson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Frank Robinson holds the edge, .537 to .499. Frank Robinson owns the better peak by OPS: .976 OPS in 1969 for Frank Howard against 1.047 OPS in 1966 for Frank Robinson.
Frank Howard vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Frank Howard in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Frank Howard's 1,774.