Thurman Munson vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell 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). Thurman Munson played 1969–1979 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
Thurman Munson (1969–1979) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 hits and 113 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 hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Thurman Munson, with .292 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Thurman Munson's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Thurman Munson's 8,466.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Thurman Munson
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Thurman Munson and Willie Stargell. 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 | Thurman Munson | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,423 | Leads: 2,360 |
| At-Bats | 5,344 | Leads: 7,927 |
| Runs | 696 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Hits | 1,558 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | 229 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 113 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 701 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 438 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 571 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 48 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .756 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Thurman Munson 42,804 to 8,466 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 PIV per season to 770, across 21 seasons to 11. 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).
Thurman Munson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Thurman Munson owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Thurman Munson and Willie Stargell careers compare
From 1969 through 1979, Thurman Munson and Willie Stargell were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Thurman Munson appeared in 1,423 games to Willie Stargell's 2,360. Where Thurman Munson comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (48 to 17) and batting average (.292 to .282). At the plate, Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438), and Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Willie Stargell holds the edge, .360 to .346.
Thurman Munson vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Thurman Munson or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Thurman Munson in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Thurman Munson or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Thurman Munson, with .292 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.