Willie Mays vs Arky Vaughan: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie Mays played 1951–1973 as a hitter; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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 Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Arky Vaughan's 28,350.
- Who won more championships? Willie Mays, with 1 World Series title to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Willie Mays
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Arky Vaughan. 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 1950s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie Mays | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,005 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,924 | 6,622 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,293 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | Leads: 525 | 356 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,909 | 926 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,468 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 339 | 118 |
| Batting Avg | .301 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .453 |
| OPS | Leads: .940 | .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Arky Vaughan 74,062 to 28,350 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,086 PIV per season to 2,025, across 24 seasons to 14. 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).
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Mays leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Arky Vaughan owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Arky Vaughan careers compare
No season is shared: Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948, Willie Mays 1951–1973. Willie Mays has the far longer record, 3,005 games against 1,817 across 24 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Arky Vaughan's edges on the table are batting average (.318 to .301) and on-base percentage (.406 to .384). At the plate, Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468), while Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts). Willie Mays is the more power-leaning hitter, with 660 of 3,293 hits leaving the park.
Willie Mays vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Arky Vaughan in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.