Willie Mays vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 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 Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 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 Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Willie Mays's 3,293.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Honus Wagner's 1,733.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Honus Wagner's 59,177.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Willie Mays
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Honus Wagner. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie Mays | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,005 | 2,794 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,924 | 10,439 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 1,739 |
| Hits | 3,293 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | 525 | Leads: 643 |
| Triples | 141 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 101 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,909 | 1,733 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,468 | 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 339 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .301 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: .940 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays leads Honus Wagner 74,062 to 59,177 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,086 PIV per season to 2,818, across 24 seasons to 21. 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
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Mays leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OPS, while Honus Wagner owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. 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 Honus Wagner careers compare
No season is shared: Honus Wagner played 1897–1917, Willie Mays 1951–1973. With 3,005 games against 2,794 across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468), but Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Willie Mays is the more power-leaning hitter, with 660 of 3,293 hits leaving the park. Honus Wagner was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Honus Wagner holds the edge, .391 to .384.
Willie Mays vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Honus Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Honus Wagner in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Willie Mays's 3,293.