King Kelly vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Thompson 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; Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 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 Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — they debuted in the 1870s and the 1880s respectively and share 9 seasons. King Kelly finished with 1,813 hits and 69 home runs; Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Sam Thompson, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to King Kelly's 69.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to King Kelly's .307.
- Who had more hits? Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to King Kelly's 1,813.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to King Kelly's 950.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to King Kelly's 27,425.
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for King Kelly and Sam Thompson. 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 | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,456 | 1,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,896 | 5,998 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,357 | 1,261 |
| Hits | 1,813 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Doubles | Leads: 359 | 343 |
| Triples | 102 | Leads: 161 |
| Home Runs | 69 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 950 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 549 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 418 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 368 | 232 |
| Batting Avg | .307 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .368 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .438 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson leads King Kelly 29,910 to 27,425 — driven by per-season impact — 1,994 PIV per season to 1,714 — rather than by longevity, since Sam Thompson played 15 seasons to King Kelly's 16. 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
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Sam Thompson leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: hits, triples, home runs, RBI, and others. King Kelly leads 4: runs, doubles, walks, and stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam Thompson. PIV agrees: Sam Thompson 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 Sam Thompson careers compare
King Kelly and Sam Thompson were active at the same time between 1885 and 1893. The two careers are close in length, 1,456 games for King Kelly and 1,410 for Sam Thompson across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. King Kelly's edges on the table are runs (1,357 to 1,261), doubles (359 to 343), and walks (549 to 452). At the plate, King Kelly walked more often than struck out (549 walks, 418 strikeouts), and Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Sam Thompson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 1,988 hits leaving the park.
King Kelly vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, King Kelly or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads King Kelly in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did King Kelly or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to King Kelly's 69.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to King Kelly's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to King Kelly's 1,813.