Stan Musial vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Stan Musial and Ted Williams are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Stan Musial played 1941–1963 as a hitter; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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
Stan Musial (1941–1963) and Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1930s respectively and share 20 seasons. Stan Musial finished with 3,630 hits and 475 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Stan Musial's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Stan Musial's .976.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Stan Musial's .331.
- Who had more hits? Stan Musial, with 3,630 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Stan Musial, with 1,951 to Ted Williams's 1,839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Stan Musial's 83,624.
Stan Musial
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Stan Musial and Ted Williams. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Stan Musial | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,026 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,972 | 7,706 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,949 | 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,630 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | Leads: 725 | 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 177 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 475 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,951 | 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,599 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 696 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 78 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .331 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .417 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .559 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .976 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams leads Stan Musial 96,302 to 83,624 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 3,801 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Stan Musial's 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Stan Musial — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Stan Musial and Ted Williams split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ted Williams higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Stan Musial and Ted Williams careers compare
Stan Musial and Ted Williams were active at the same time between 1941 and 1960. The two careers are close in length, 3,026 games for Stan Musial and 2,292 for Ted Williams across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Stan Musial walked more often than struck out (1,599 walks, 696 strikeouts), and Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). Ted Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,654 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Ted Williams holds the edge, .634 to .559.
Stan Musial vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Stan Musial or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Stan Musial or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Stan Musial's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Stan Musial's .976.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Stan Musial's .331.
- Who had more hits?
- Stan Musial, with 3,630 to Ted Williams's 2,654.