Lee May vs Ken Singleton: Career Stats Comparison
Lee May has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lee May played 1965–1982 as a hitter; Ken Singleton played 1970–1984 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
Lee May (1965–1982) and Ken Singleton (1970–1984) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lee May finished with 2,031 hits and 354 home runs; Ken Singleton finished with 2,029 hits and 246 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lee May, with 354 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Singleton, with .824 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Singleton, with .282 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits? Lee May, with 2,031 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.
- Who drove in more runs? Lee May, with 1,244 to Ken Singleton's 1,065.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Singleton, with 29,530 career PIV to Lee May's 14,353.
- Who won more championships? Ken Singleton, with 1 World Series title to Lee May's 0.
Ken Singleton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lee May and Ken Singleton. 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, and the 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lee May | Ken Singleton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,071 | Leads: 2,082 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,609 | 7,189 |
| Runs | 959 | Leads: 985 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,031 | 2,029 |
| Doubles | Leads: 340 | 317 |
| Triples | Leads: 31 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 354 | 246 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,244 | 1,065 |
| Walks | 487 | Leads: 1,263 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,570 | 1,246 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 39 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .313 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .459 | .436 |
| OPS | .772 | Leads: .824 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Singleton outpaces Lee May 29,530 to 14,353 — driven by per-season impact — 1,969 PIV per season to 797 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Singleton played 15 seasons to Lee May's 18. 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).
Lee May — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Singleton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Singleton leads in runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Lee May owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Singleton. PIV agrees: Ken Singleton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lee May and Ken Singleton careers compare
From 1970 through 1982, Lee May and Ken Singleton were in the majors together. With 2,071 games against 2,082 across 18 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Lee May struck out more than walked (1,570 to 487), while Ken Singleton walked more often than struck out (1,263 walks, 1,246 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Lee May's hits: 354 of 2,031 for Lee May, 246 of 2,029 for Ken Singleton. In slugging percentage, Lee May holds the edge, .459 to .436.
Lee May vs Ken Singleton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee May or Ken Singleton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee May leads Ken Singleton in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lee May or Ken Singleton hit more home runs?
- Lee May, with 354 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Singleton, with .824 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Singleton, with .282 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Lee May, with 2,031 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.