Ralph Kiner vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Duke Snider 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). Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 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
Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Duke Snider (1947–1964) — both debuted in the 1940s. Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 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 leads the career comparison? Duke Snider, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Duke Snider, with 407 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Duke Snider's .919.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Duke Snider, with 2,116 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Duke Snider, with 1,333 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Duke Snider, with 39,968 career PIV to Ralph Kiner's 35,424.
Ralph Kiner
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ralph Kiner and Duke Snider. 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 | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,472 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,205 | 7,161 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 1,259 |
| Hits | 1,451 | Leads: 2,116 |
| Doubles | 216 | Leads: 358 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | 369 | Leads: 407 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,333 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,011 | 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 749 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | 22 | Leads: 99 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .548 | .540 |
| OPS | Leads: .946 | .919 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Duke Snider leads Ralph Kiner 39,968 to 35,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Duke Snider played 18 seasons to Ralph Kiner's 10, while Ralph Kiner carries the higher per-season figure (3,542 to 2,220). 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
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Duke Snider leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ralph Kiner leads 4: walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Duke Snider. PIV agrees: Duke Snider 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 Duke Snider careers compare
The careers of Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Duke Snider (1947–1964) overlapped from 1947 to 1955, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,472 games for Ralph Kiner and 2,143 for Duke Snider across 10 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Ralph Kiner are walks (1,011 to 971), on-base percentage (.398 to .380), and slugging percentage (.548 to .540). At the plate, Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts), while Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971).
Ralph Kiner vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ralph Kiner or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Duke Snider leads Ralph Kiner in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ralph Kiner or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Duke Snider, with 407 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Duke Snider's .919.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Duke Snider, with 2,116 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.