King Kelly vs Tip O'Neill: Career Stats Comparison
King Kelly has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). King Kelly played 1878–1893 as a hitter; Tip O'Neill played 1883–1892 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 Tip O'Neill (1883–1892) — they debuted in the 1870s and the 1880s respectively and share 10 seasons. King Kelly finished with 1,813 hits and 69 home runs; Tip O'Neill finished with 1,385 hits and 52 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? King Kelly, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? King Kelly, with 69 to Tip O'Neill's 52.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tip O'Neill, with .851 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tip O'Neill, with .326 to King Kelly's .307.
- Who had more hits? King Kelly, with 1,813 to Tip O'Neill's 1,385.
- Who drove in more runs? King Kelly, with 950 to Tip O'Neill's 757.
- Who has the higher career PIV? King Kelly, with 27,425 career PIV to Tip O'Neill's 23,461.
Tip O'Neill
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for King Kelly and Tip O'Neill. 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 | King Kelly | Tip O'Neill |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,456 | 1,052 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,896 | 4,248 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,357 | 879 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,813 | 1,385 |
| Doubles | Leads: 359 | 222 |
| Triples | Leads: 102 | 92 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 69 | 52 |
| RBI | Leads: 950 | 757 |
| Walks | Leads: 549 | 420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 418 | 194 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 368 | 161 |
| Batting Avg | .307 | Leads: .326 |
| On-Base % | .368 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | .438 | Leads: .458 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .851 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), King Kelly leads Tip O'Neill 27,425 to 23,461 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: King Kelly played 16 seasons to Tip O'Neill's 10, while Tip O'Neill carries the higher per-season figure (2,346 to 1,714). 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).
King Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tip O'Neill — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
King Kelly leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Tip O'Neill leads 4: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. 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 Tip O'Neill careers compare
The careers of King Kelly (1878–1893) and Tip O'Neill (1883–1892) overlapped from 1883 to 1892, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,456 games against 1,052 across 16 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Tip O'Neill are batting average (.326 to .307), on-base percentage (.392 to .368), and slugging percentage (.458 to .438). King Kelly walked more often than struck out (549 walks, 418 strikeouts); Tip O'Neill walked more often than struck out (420 walks, 194 strikeouts). King Kelly was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Tip O'Neill holds the edge, .458 to .438.
King Kelly vs Tip O'Neill: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, King Kelly or Tip O'Neill?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, King Kelly leads Tip O'Neill in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did King Kelly or Tip O'Neill hit more home runs?
- King Kelly, with 69 to Tip O'Neill's 52.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tip O'Neill, with .851 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tip O'Neill, with .326 to King Kelly's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- King Kelly, with 1,813 to Tip O'Neill's 1,385.