Willie Mays vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — both debuted in the 1950s. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Willie Mays, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Frank Robinson's 586.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Frank Robinson's .926.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Frank Robinson's 1,812.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Frank Robinson's 67,113.
Willie Mays
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Frank Robinson. 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 | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,005 | 2,808 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,924 | 10,006 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 1,829 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,293 | 2,943 |
| Doubles | 525 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 72 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 586 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,909 | 1,812 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,468 | 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 339 | 204 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .294 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .389 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .537 |
| OPS | Leads: .940 | .926 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays leads Frank Robinson 74,062 to 67,113 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,220 PIV per season to 3,196, across 23 seasons to 21. 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
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Willie Mays leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, home runs, and others. Frank Robinson leads 2: doubles and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays 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 Frank Robinson careers compare
The careers of Willie Mays (1951–1973) and Frank Robinson (1956–1976) overlapped from 1956 to 1973, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 3,005 games against 2,808 across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Frank Robinson are doubles (528 to 525) and on-base percentage (.389 to .384). At the plate, Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468), and Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). Willie Mays was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Willie Mays's slugging percentage of .557 tops Frank Robinson's .537.
Willie Mays vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Frank Robinson in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Frank Robinson's 586.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Frank Robinson's .926.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.