Willie Keeler vs Jim O'Rourke: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Keeler has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie Keeler played 1892–1910 as a hitter; Jim O'Rourke played 1872–1904 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
Willie Keeler (1892–1910) and Jim O'Rourke (1872–1904) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1870s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie Keeler finished with 2,932 hits and 33 home runs; Jim O'Rourke finished with 2,639 hits and 62 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim O'Rourke, with 62 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Keeler, with .802 to Jim O'Rourke's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Keeler, with .341 to Jim O'Rourke's .310.
- Who had more hits? Willie Keeler, with 2,932 to Jim O'Rourke's 2,639.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim O'Rourke, with 1,208 to Willie Keeler's 810.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim O'Rourke, with 29,906 career PIV to Willie Keeler's 29,044.
- Who won more championships? Jim O'Rourke, with 2 World Series titles to Willie Keeler's 0.
Willie Keeler
Jim O'Rourke
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Keeler and Jim O'Rourke. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1890s and the 1870s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie Keeler | Jim O'Rourke |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,123 | 1,999 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,591 | 8,503 |
| Runs | 1,719 | Leads: 1,729 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,932 | 2,639 |
| Doubles | 241 | Leads: 468 |
| Triples | 145 | Leads: 149 |
| Home Runs | 33 | Leads: 62 |
| RBI | 810 | Leads: 1,208 |
| Walks | Leads: 524 | 513 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 136 | 362 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 495 | 229 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .341 | .310 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .422 |
| OPS | Leads: .802 | .775 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim O'Rourke edges Willie Keeler 29,906 to 29,044 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim O'Rourke played 23 seasons to Willie Keeler's 20, while Willie Keeler carries the higher per-season figure (1,452 to 1,300). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Willie Keeler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim O'Rourke — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Keeler leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Jim O'Rourke owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Keeler. Note that PIV actually grades Jim O'Rourke ahead, which means Willie Keeler's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Keeler and Jim O'Rourke careers compare
The careers of Willie Keeler (1892–1910) and Jim O'Rourke (1872–1904) overlapped from 1892 to 1904, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,123 games for Willie Keeler and 1,999 for Jim O'Rourke across 20 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Willie Keeler walked more often than struck out (524 walks, 136 strikeouts); Jim O'Rourke walked more often than struck out (513 walks, 362 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim O'Rourke's hits: 33 of 2,932 for Willie Keeler, 62 of 2,639 for Jim O'Rourke. Willie Keeler was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Willie Keeler vs Jim O'Rourke: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Keeler or Jim O'Rourke?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Keeler leads Jim O'Rourke in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie Keeler or Jim O'Rourke hit more home runs?
- Jim O'Rourke, with 62 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Keeler, with .802 to Jim O'Rourke's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Keeler, with .341 to Jim O'Rourke's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Keeler, with 2,932 to Jim O'Rourke's 2,639.