Ralph Kiner vs Willie Mays: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 as a hitter; Willie Mays played 1951–1973 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
Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Willie Mays (1951–1973) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1950s respectively and share 5 seasons. Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs; Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Willie Mays, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Willie Mays's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Ralph Kiner's 35,424.
Ralph Kiner
Willie Mays
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ralph Kiner and Willie Mays. 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 | Ralph Kiner | Willie Mays |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,472 | 3,005 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,205 | 10,924 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 2,068 |
| Hits | 1,451 | Leads: 3,293 |
| Doubles | 216 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | 369 | Leads: 660 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,909 |
| Walks | 1,011 | Leads: 1,468 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 749 | 1,526 |
| Stolen Bases | 22 | Leads: 339 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .301 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .384 |
| Slugging % | .548 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | Leads: .946 | .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Ralph Kiner 74,062 to 35,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Mays played 23 seasons to Ralph Kiner's 10, while Ralph Kiner carries the higher per-season figure (3,542 to 3,220). 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).
Ralph Kiner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Willie Mays leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ralph Kiner leads 2: on-base percentage and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ralph Kiner and Willie Mays careers compare
From 1951 through 1955, Ralph Kiner and Willie Mays were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ralph Kiner appeared in 1,472 games to Willie Mays's 3,005. The green cells for Ralph Kiner are on-base percentage (.398 to .384) and OPS (.946 to .940). At the plate, Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts), while Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468). Willie Mays was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Willie Mays's slugging percentage of .557 tops Ralph Kiner's .548.
Ralph Kiner vs Willie Mays: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ralph Kiner or Willie Mays?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Ralph Kiner in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ralph Kiner or Willie Mays hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Willie Mays's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.