Reggie Jackson vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Willie Stargell's 1,540.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Reggie Jackson's 41,801.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Willie Stargell's 2.
Reggie Jackson
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Willie Stargell. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Jackson | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,820 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,864 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,584 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 463 | 423 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 475 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 937 |
| Strikeouts | 2,597 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .490 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell edges Reggie Jackson 42,804 to 41,801 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,038 vs 1,991 per year). 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).
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Jackson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Willie Stargell owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Jackson. Note that PIV actually grades Willie Stargell ahead, which means Reggie Jackson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Reggie Jackson vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Willie Stargell in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.