Harmon Killebrew vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Duke Snider 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). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 as a hitter; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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
Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) and Duke Snider (1947–1964) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Duke Snider, with 2,116 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Duke Snider's 1,333.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Duke Snider's 39,968.
- Who won more championships? Duke Snider, with 2 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Duke Snider. 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 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,435 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,147 | 7,161 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,283 | 1,259 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,116 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 358 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 407 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,333 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 99 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | .884 | Leads: .919 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew leads Duke Snider 48,240 to 39,968 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Duke Snider's 18, while Duke Snider carries the higher per-season figure (2,220 to 2,193). 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).
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Duke Snider leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Harmon Killebrew owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Duke Snider. Note that PIV actually grades Harmon Killebrew ahead, which means Duke Snider's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Duke Snider careers compare
From 1954 through 1964, Harmon Killebrew and Duke Snider were in the majors together. With 2,435 games against 2,143 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559), and Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. Duke Snider's slugging percentage of .540 tops Harmon Killebrew's .509. On the peak-season lists, Harmon Killebrew's best year is 1961 at 1.012 OPS and Duke Snider's is 1954 at 1.071 OPS; Duke Snider has the stronger single season.
Harmon Killebrew vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Duke Snider leads Harmon Killebrew in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Duke Snider, with 2,116 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.