Willie Keeler vs Jimmy Ryan: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmy Ryan has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Willie Keeler played 1892–1910 as a hitter; Jimmy Ryan played 1885–1903 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 Jimmy Ryan (1885–1903) — they debuted in the 1890s and the 1880s respectively and share 12 seasons. Willie Keeler finished with 2,932 hits and 33 home runs; Jimmy Ryan finished with 2,513 hits and 118 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jimmy Ryan, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jimmy Ryan, with 118 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmy Ryan, with .820 to Willie Keeler's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Keeler, with .341 to Jimmy Ryan's .308.
- Who had more hits? Willie Keeler, with 2,932 to Jimmy Ryan's 2,513.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmy Ryan, with 1,093 to Willie Keeler's 810.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Keeler, with 29,044 career PIV to Jimmy Ryan's 27,588.
Willie Keeler
Jimmy Ryan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Keeler and Jimmy Ryan. 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 | Willie Keeler | Jimmy Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,123 | 2,014 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,591 | 8,172 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,719 | 1,643 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,932 | 2,513 |
| Doubles | 241 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | 145 | Leads: 157 |
| Home Runs | 33 | Leads: 118 |
| RBI | 810 | Leads: 1,093 |
| Walks | 524 | Leads: 804 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 136 | 491 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 495 | 419 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .341 | .308 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .375 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .444 |
| OPS | .802 | Leads: .820 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Keeler edges Jimmy Ryan 29,044 to 27,588 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Keeler played 19 seasons to Jimmy Ryan's 18, while Jimmy Ryan carries the higher per-season figure (1,533 to 1,529). 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).
Willie Keeler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jimmy Ryan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jimmy Ryan leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, and others. Willie Keeler leads 5: runs, hits, stolen bases, batting average, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmy Ryan. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Willie Keeler higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Keeler and Jimmy Ryan careers compare
The careers of Willie Keeler (1892–1910) and Jimmy Ryan (1885–1903) overlapped from 1892 to 1903, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,123 games against 2,014 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Willie Keeler walked more often than struck out (524 walks, 136 strikeouts), and Jimmy Ryan walked more often than struck out (804 walks, 491 strikeouts). Jimmy Ryan is the more power-leaning hitter, with 118 of 2,513 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Willie Keeler stole more often per game played (495 steals in 2,123 games for Willie Keeler, 419 in 2,014 for Jimmy Ryan).
Willie Keeler vs Jimmy Ryan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Keeler or Jimmy Ryan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmy Ryan leads Willie Keeler in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Willie Keeler or Jimmy Ryan hit more home runs?
- Jimmy Ryan, with 118 to Willie Keeler's 33.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmy Ryan, with .820 to Willie Keeler's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Keeler, with .341 to Jimmy Ryan's .308.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Keeler, with 2,932 to Jimmy Ryan's 2,513.