Willie McCovey vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey and Billy Williams are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 as a hitter; Billy Williams played 1959–1976 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 McCovey (1959–1980) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs; Billy Williams finished with 2,711 hits and 426 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Williams, with .290 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Billy Williams's 1,475.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Billy Williams's 44,022.
Willie McCovey
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey and Billy Williams. 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 | Willie McCovey | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,588 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats | 8,197 | Leads: 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,229 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | 2,211 | Leads: 2,711 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 434 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 426 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,475 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 90 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .492 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .853 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey edges Billy Williams 47,331 to 44,022 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie McCovey played 23 seasons to Billy Williams's 18, while Billy Williams carries the higher per-season figure (2,446 to 2,058). 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 McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Billy Williams owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Billy Williams careers compare
From 1959 through 1976, Willie McCovey and Billy Williams were in the majors together. With 2,588 games against 2,488 across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345); Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Home runs make up a larger share of Willie McCovey's hits: 521 of 2,211 for Willie McCovey, 426 of 2,711 for Billy Williams. Willie McCovey's slugging percentage of .515 tops Billy Williams's .492. On the peak-season lists, Willie McCovey's best year is 1969 at 1.108 OPS and Billy Williams's is 1972 at 1.005 OPS; Willie McCovey has the stronger single season.
Willie McCovey vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Willie McCovey or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Williams, with .290 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.