Chuck Klein vs Al Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Al Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Chuck Klein played 1928–1944 as a hitter; Al Simmons played 1924–1944 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
Chuck Klein (1928–1944) and Al Simmons (1924–1944) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Chuck Klein finished with 2,076 hits and 300 home runs; Al Simmons finished with 2,927 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Simmons, with 307 to Chuck Klein's 300.
- Who had the higher OPS? Chuck Klein, with .922 to Al Simmons's .915.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Simmons, with .334 to Chuck Klein's .320.
- Who had more hits? Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Chuck Klein's 2,076.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Simmons, with 1,827 to Chuck Klein's 1,201.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Simmons, with 40,529 career PIV to Chuck Klein's 32,687.
- Who won more championships? Al Simmons, with 2 World Series titles to Chuck Klein's 0.
Chuck Klein
Al Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Chuck Klein and Al Simmons. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Chuck Klein | Al Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,753 | Leads: 2,215 |
| At-Bats | 6,486 | Leads: 8,759 |
| Runs | 1,168 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Hits | 2,076 | Leads: 2,927 |
| Doubles | 398 | Leads: 539 |
| Triples | 74 | Leads: 149 |
| Home Runs | 300 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 1,201 | Leads: 1,827 |
| Walks | 601 | Leads: 615 |
| Strikeouts | 521 | 737 |
| Stolen Bases | 79 | Leads: 88 |
| Batting Avg | .320 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | .379 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .543 | .535 |
| OPS | Leads: .922 | .915 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Simmons leads Chuck Klein 40,529 to 32,687 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,930 vs 1,720 per year). 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).
Chuck Klein — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Simmons leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Chuck Klein owns OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Simmons. PIV agrees: Al Simmons grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Chuck Klein vs Al Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chuck Klein or Al Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Simmons leads Chuck Klein in 12 of 14 categories.
- Did Chuck Klein or Al Simmons hit more home runs?
- Al Simmons, with 307 to Chuck Klein's 300.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Chuck Klein, with .922 to Al Simmons's .915.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Simmons, with .334 to Chuck Klein's .320.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Simmons, with 2,927 to Chuck Klein's 2,076.