Harmon Killebrew vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Williams 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; Billy Williams played 1959–1976 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 Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Billy Williams finished with 2,711 hits and 426 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 Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Williams, with .290 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Billy Williams's 1,475.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Billy Williams's 44,022.
Harmon Killebrew
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Billy Williams. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,435 | Leads: 2,488 |
| At-Bats | 8,147 | Leads: 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,283 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,711 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 434 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 426 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,475 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 90 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .492 |
| OPS | Leads: .884 | .853 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew leads Billy Williams 48,240 to 44,022 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Billy Williams's 18, while Billy Williams carries the higher per-season figure (2,446 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
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Billy Williams owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Billy Williams careers compare
Harmon Killebrew and Billy Williams were active at the same time between 1959 and 1975. With 2,435 games against 2,488 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559); Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Harmon Killebrew holds the edge, .509 to .492. Harmon Killebrew owns the better peak by OPS: 1.012 OPS in 1961 for Harmon Killebrew against 1.005 OPS in 1972 for Billy Williams.
Harmon Killebrew vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Williams leads Harmon Killebrew in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Williams, with .290 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.