Frank Howard vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Duke Snider 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; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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 Duke Snider (1947–1964) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1940s respectively and share 7 seasons. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Duke Snider, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Duke Snider, with 407 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Duke Snider, with 2,116 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Duke Snider, with 1,333 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Duke Snider, with 39,968 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
Frank Howard
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Duke Snider. 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 | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,895 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,488 | 7,161 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 1,259 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 2,116 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 358 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 407 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,333 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 99 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | .851 | Leads: .919 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Duke Snider leads Frank Howard 39,968 to 30,024 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,220 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
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Duke Snider 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 Duke Snider. PIV agrees: Duke Snider 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 Duke Snider careers compare
Frank Howard and Duke Snider were active at the same time between 1958 and 1964. The two careers are close in length, 1,895 games for Frank Howard and 2,143 for Duke Snider across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Duke Snider. At the plate, Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782), and Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971). Duke Snider's slugging percentage of .540 tops Frank Howard's .499.
Frank Howard vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Duke Snider leads Frank Howard in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Duke Snider, with 407 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Frank Howard's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Duke Snider, with 2,116 to Frank Howard's 1,774.