Willie Mays vs Stan Musial: Career Stats Comparison
Stan Musial has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Willie Mays played 1951–1973 as a hitter; Stan Musial played 1941–1963 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
Willie Mays (1951–1973) and Stan Musial (1941–1963) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1940s respectively and share 13 seasons. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Stan Musial finished with 3,630 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Stan Musial, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Stan Musial's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Stan Musial, with .976 to Willie Mays's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average? Stan Musial, with .331 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits? Stan Musial, with 3,630 to Willie Mays's 3,293.
- Who drove in more runs? Stan Musial, with 1,951 to Willie Mays's 1,909.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Stan Musial, with 83,624 career PIV to Willie Mays's 74,062.
Willie Mays
Stan Musial
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Stan Musial. 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 | Willie Mays | Stan Musial |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,005 | 3,026 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,924 | 10,972 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 1,949 |
| Hits | 3,293 | Leads: 3,630 |
| Doubles | 525 | Leads: 725 |
| Triples | 141 | Leads: 177 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 475 |
| RBI | 1,909 | Leads: 1,951 |
| Walks | 1,468 | Leads: 1,599 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 696 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 339 | 78 |
| Batting Avg | .301 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .417 |
| Slugging % | .557 | Leads: .559 |
| OPS | .940 | Leads: .976 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Stan Musial leads Willie Mays 83,624 to 74,062 — driven by per-season impact — 3,801 PIV per season to 3,220 — rather than by longevity, since Stan Musial played 22 seasons to Willie Mays's 23. 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).
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Stan Musial — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Stan Musial leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: hits, doubles, triples, RBI, and others. Willie Mays leads 3: runs, home runs, and stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Stan Musial. PIV agrees: Stan Musial grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Mays and Stan Musial careers compare
Willie Mays and Stan Musial were active at the same time between 1951 and 1963. The two careers are close in length, 3,005 games for Willie Mays and 3,026 for Stan Musial across 23 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Willie Mays comes out ahead, it is in runs (2,068 to 1,949), home runs (660 to 475), and stolen bases (339 to 78). At the plate, Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468), while Stan Musial walked more often than struck out (1,599 walks, 696 strikeouts). Willie Mays is the more power-leaning hitter, with 660 of 3,293 hits leaving the park.
Willie Mays vs Stan Musial: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Stan Musial?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Stan Musial leads Willie Mays in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Stan Musial hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Stan Musial's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Stan Musial, with .976 to Willie Mays's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Stan Musial, with .331 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits?
- Stan Musial, with 3,630 to Willie Mays's 3,293.