King Kelly vs Henry Larkin: Career Stats Comparison
King Kelly has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). King Kelly played 1878–1893 as a hitter; Henry Larkin played 1884–1893 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
King Kelly (1878–1893) and Henry Larkin (1884–1893) — they broke in during the 1870s and the 1880s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. King Kelly finished with 1,813 hits and 69 home runs; Henry Larkin finished with 1,429 hits and 53 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? King Kelly, with 69 to Henry Larkin's 53.
- Who had the higher OPS? Henry Larkin, with .820 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? King Kelly, with .307 to Henry Larkin's .303.
- Who had more hits? King Kelly, with 1,813 to Henry Larkin's 1,429.
- Who drove in more runs? King Kelly, with 950 to Henry Larkin's 836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? King Kelly, with 27,425 career PIV to Henry Larkin's 21,776.
Henry Larkin
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for King Kelly and Henry Larkin. 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 1870s and the 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | King Kelly | Henry Larkin |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,456 | 1,184 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,896 | 4,718 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,357 | 925 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,813 | 1,429 |
| Doubles | Leads: 359 | 259 |
| Triples | 102 | Leads: 114 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 69 | 53 |
| RBI | Leads: 950 | 836 |
| Walks | Leads: 549 | 484 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 418 | 182 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 368 | 129 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .303 |
| On-Base % | .368 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .438 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), King Kelly leads Henry Larkin 27,425 to 21,776 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: King Kelly played 18 seasons to Henry Larkin's 10, while Henry Larkin carries the higher per-season figure (2,178 to 1,524). 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).
King Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Henry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, King Kelly leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Henry Larkin owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to King Kelly. PIV agrees: King Kelly grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the King Kelly and Henry Larkin careers compare
King Kelly and Henry Larkin were active at the same time between 1884 and 1893. With 1,456 games against 1,184 across 18 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Henry Larkin comes out ahead, it is in triples (114 to 102), on-base percentage (.380 to .368), and slugging percentage (.440 to .438). At the plate, King Kelly walked more often than struck out (549 walks, 418 strikeouts), and Henry Larkin walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 182 strikeouts). King Kelly was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Henry Larkin's on-base percentage of .380 tops King Kelly's .368.
King Kelly vs Henry Larkin: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, King Kelly or Henry Larkin?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, King Kelly leads Henry Larkin in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did King Kelly or Henry Larkin hit more home runs?
- King Kelly, with 69 to Henry Larkin's 53.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Henry Larkin, with .820 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- King Kelly, with .307 to Henry Larkin's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- King Kelly, with 1,813 to Henry Larkin's 1,429.