Willie Mays vs Reggie Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 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 Reggie Smith (1966–1982) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 8 seasons. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 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 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Reggie Smith's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Reggie Smith's 32,131.
Willie Mays
Reggie Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Reggie Smith. 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 | Reggie Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,005 | 1,987 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,924 | 7,033 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 1,123 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,293 | 2,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 525 | 363 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 57 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 314 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,909 | 1,092 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,468 | 890 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 1,030 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 339 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .287 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .366 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .940 | .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Reggie Smith 74,062 to 32,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,220 PIV per season to 1,890, across 23 seasons to 17. 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
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Willie Mays leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Reggie Smith leads 0: no scored category. 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 Reggie Smith careers compare
From 1966 through 1973, Willie Mays and Reggie Smith were in the majors together. The table compares 3,005 games of Willie Mays with 1,987 of Reggie Smith across 23 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Willie Mays leads every scored row of the table. Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468); Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890). Willie Mays was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Willie Mays's slugging percentage of .557 tops Reggie Smith's .489.
Willie Mays vs Reggie Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Reggie Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Reggie Smith in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Reggie Smith hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Reggie Smith's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.