Willie Mays vs Willie Stargell: 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; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 12 seasons. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 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? Willie Mays, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Willie Stargell's 1,540.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Willie Stargell's 42,804.
Willie Mays
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Willie Stargell. 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 | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,005 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,924 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,293 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 525 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 475 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,909 | 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,468 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 339 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .360 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .529 |
| OPS | Leads: .940 | .889 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Willie Stargell 74,062 to 42,804 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,220 PIV per season to 2,038, 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
Willie Stargell — 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. Willie Stargell 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 Willie Stargell careers compare
Willie Mays and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1962 and 1973. With 3,005 games against 2,360 across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Willie Mays. At the plate, Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468), and Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Mays was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Willie Mays holds the edge, .557 to .529.
Willie Mays vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Willie Stargell in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.