Al Kaline vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. 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.
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. Counting stats reward longevity; the rate stats at the bottom are era-agnostic.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,834 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats | 10,116 | 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,622 | 1,410 |
| Hits | 3,007 | 2,711 |
| Doubles | 498 | 434 |
| Triples | 75 | 88 |
| Home Runs | 399 | 426 |
| RBI | 1,583 | 1,475 |
| Walks | 1,277 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts | 1,020 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | 90 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | .290 |
| On-Base % | .376 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .480 | .492 |
| OPS | .855 | .853 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline edges Billy Williams 45,087 to 44,022 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,049 vs 2,446 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).
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Billy Williams owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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.