Ralph Kiner vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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 Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1930s respectively and share 10 seasons. Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ted Williams, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Ralph Kiner's .946.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Ted Williams, with 2,654 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Ralph Kiner's 35,424.
Ralph Kiner
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ralph Kiner and Ted Williams. 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 | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,472 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,205 | 7,706 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 1,798 |
| Hits | 1,451 | Leads: 2,654 |
| Doubles | 216 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 71 |
| Home Runs | 369 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,011 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 749 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | 22 | Leads: 24 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .398 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .548 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .946 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Ralph Kiner 96,302 to 35,424 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,069 PIV per season to 3,542, across 19 seasons to 10. 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
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ted Williams leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ralph Kiner leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams 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 Ted Williams careers compare
Ralph Kiner and Ted Williams were active at the same time between 1946 and 1955. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ralph Kiner appeared in 1,472 games to Ted Williams's 2,292. Every scored category on the table goes to Ted Williams. Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts); Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Ted Williams holds the edge, .634 to .548. Ted Williams owns the better peak by OPS: 1.089 OPS in 1949 for Ralph Kiner against 1.287 OPS in 1941 for Ted Williams.
Ralph Kiner vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ralph Kiner or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Ralph Kiner in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ralph Kiner or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Ralph Kiner's .946.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Williams, with 2,654 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.