Harmon Killebrew vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew 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; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 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 Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Willie Stargell's 1,540.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Willie Stargell's 42,804.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Willie Stargell. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,435 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,147 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,283 | 1,194 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 475 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 19 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .884 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew leads Willie Stargell 48,240 to 42,804 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,193 PIV per season to 2,038, across 22 seasons to 21. 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Willie Stargell owns hits, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Willie Stargell careers compare
From 1962 through 1975, Harmon Killebrew and Willie Stargell were in the majors together. With 2,435 games against 2,360 across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559); Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). On the peak-season lists, Harmon Killebrew's best year is 1961 at 1.012 OPS and Willie Stargell's is 1973 at 1.038 OPS; Willie Stargell has the stronger single season.
Harmon Killebrew vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harmon Killebrew leads Willie Stargell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.