Henry Larkin vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Thompson has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Henry Larkin played 1884–1893 as a hitter; Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 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
Henry Larkin (1884–1893) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — both broke in during the 1880s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Henry Larkin finished with 1,429 hits and 53 home runs; Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to Henry Larkin's 53.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Henry Larkin's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to Henry Larkin's .303.
- Who had more hits? Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Henry Larkin's 1,429.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Henry Larkin's 836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to Henry Larkin's 21,776.
- Who won more championships? Sam Thompson, with 1 World Series title to Henry Larkin's 0.
Henry Larkin
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Henry Larkin and Sam Thompson. 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 | Henry Larkin | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,184 | Leads: 1,410 |
| At-Bats | 4,718 | Leads: 5,998 |
| Runs | 925 | Leads: 1,261 |
| Hits | 1,429 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Doubles | 259 | Leads: 343 |
| Triples | 114 | Leads: 161 |
| Home Runs | 53 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 836 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 484 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 182 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | 129 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | .303 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .440 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson outpaces Henry Larkin 29,910 to 21,776 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Sam Thompson played 15 seasons to Henry Larkin's 10, while Henry Larkin carries the higher per-season figure (2,178 to 1,994). 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).
Henry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sam Thompson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Henry Larkin owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam Thompson. PIV agrees: Sam Thompson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Henry Larkin and Sam Thompson careers compare
The careers of Henry Larkin (1884–1893) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) overlapped from 1885 to 1893, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,184 games against 1,410 across 10 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Henry Larkin comes out ahead, it is in walks (484 to 452). Henry Larkin walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 182 strikeouts); Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Sam Thompson's hits: 53 of 1,429 for Henry Larkin, 126 of 1,988 for Sam Thompson.
Henry Larkin vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Henry Larkin or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads Henry Larkin in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Henry Larkin or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Henry Larkin's 53.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Henry Larkin's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to Henry Larkin's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Henry Larkin's 1,429.