Al Kaline vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Billy Williams played 1959–1976 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
Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both debuted in the 1950s. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Billy Williams finished with 2,711 hits and 426 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Al Kaline, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Billy Williams, with 426 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Billy Williams's 2,711.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Billy Williams's 1,475.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Billy Williams's 44,022.
Al Kaline
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Billy Williams. 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 | Al Kaline | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 9,350 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,410 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,711 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 434 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 426 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,475 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 90 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .492 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .853 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline edges Billy Williams 45,087 to 44,022 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Billy Williams's 18, while Billy Williams carries the higher per-season figure (2,446 to 2,049). 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).
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, RBI, and others. Billy Williams leads 3: triples, home runs, and slugging percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. PIV agrees: Al Kaline grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Kaline and Billy Williams careers compare
From 1959 through 1974, Al Kaline and Billy Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,834 games for Al Kaline and 2,488 for Billy Williams across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Billy Williams's edges on the table are triples (88 to 75), home runs (426 to 399), and slugging percentage (.492 to .480). Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Al Kaline was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Al Kaline vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Billy Williams in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Billy Williams, with 426 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Billy Williams's 2,711.