Tommy McCarthy vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Thompson 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). Tommy McCarthy played 1884–1896 as a hitter; Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 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
Tommy McCarthy (1884–1896) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — both broke in during the 1880s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Tommy McCarthy finished with 1,493 hits and 44 home runs; Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to Tommy McCarthy's 44.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Tommy McCarthy's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to Tommy McCarthy's .292.
- Who had more hits? Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Tommy McCarthy's 1,493.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Tommy McCarthy's 732.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to Tommy McCarthy's 8,126.
- Who won more championships? Sam Thompson, with 1 World Series title to Tommy McCarthy's 0.
Tommy McCarthy
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tommy McCarthy and Sam Thompson. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tommy McCarthy | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,273 | Leads: 1,410 |
| At-Bats | 5,120 | Leads: 5,998 |
| Runs | 1,066 | Leads: 1,261 |
| Hits | 1,493 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Doubles | 191 | Leads: 343 |
| Triples | 53 | Leads: 161 |
| Home Runs | 44 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 732 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 536 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 185 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 468 | 232 |
| Batting Avg | .292 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .364 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .375 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .740 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson outpaces Tommy McCarthy 29,910 to 8,126 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,994 PIV per season to 625, across 15 seasons to 13. 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).
Tommy McCarthy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sam Thompson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tommy McCarthy owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam Thompson. PIV agrees: Sam Thompson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tommy McCarthy and Sam Thompson careers compare
Tommy McCarthy and Sam Thompson were active at the same time between 1885 and 1896. The two careers are close in length, 1,273 games for Tommy McCarthy and 1,410 for Sam Thompson across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Tommy McCarthy are walks (536 to 452) and stolen bases (468 to 232). Tommy McCarthy walked more often than struck out (536 walks, 185 strikeouts); Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Sam Thompson's hits: 44 of 1,493 for Tommy McCarthy, 126 of 1,988 for Sam Thompson.
Tommy McCarthy vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tommy McCarthy or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads Tommy McCarthy in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Tommy McCarthy or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Tommy McCarthy's 44.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Tommy McCarthy's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to Tommy McCarthy's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Tommy McCarthy's 1,493.