Tip O'Neill vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Thompson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tip O'Neill played 1883–1892 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
Tip O'Neill (1883–1892) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — both debuted in the 1880s. Tip O'Neill finished with 1,385 hits and 52 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 leads the career comparison? Sam Thompson, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to Tip O'Neill's 52.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Tip O'Neill's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to Tip O'Neill's .326.
- Who had more hits? Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Tip O'Neill's 1,385.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Tip O'Neill's 757.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to Tip O'Neill's 23,461.
Tip O'Neill
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tip O'Neill and Sam Thompson. 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 | Tip O'Neill | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,052 | 1,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 4,248 | 5,998 |
| Runs | 879 | Leads: 1,261 |
| Hits | 1,385 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Doubles | 222 | Leads: 343 |
| Triples | 92 | Leads: 161 |
| Home Runs | 52 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 757 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | 420 | Leads: 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 194 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | 161 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | .326 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .392 | .384 |
| Slugging % | .458 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .851 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson leads Tip O'Neill 29,910 to 23,461 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Sam Thompson played 15 seasons to Tip O'Neill's 10, while Tip O'Neill carries the higher per-season figure (2,346 to 1,994). 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).
Tip O'Neill — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Sam Thompson leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Tip O'Neill leads 1: on-base percentage. 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 Tip O'Neill and Sam Thompson careers compare
From 1885 through 1892, Tip O'Neill and Sam Thompson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,052 games for Tip O'Neill and 1,410 for Sam Thompson across 10 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Tip O'Neill comes out ahead, it is in on-base percentage (.392 to .384). At the plate, Tip O'Neill walked more often than struck out (420 walks, 194 strikeouts), and Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Sam Thompson's hits: 52 of 1,385 for Tip O'Neill, 126 of 1,988 for Sam Thompson.
Tip O'Neill vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tip O'Neill or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads Tip O'Neill in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Tip O'Neill or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Tip O'Neill's 52.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Tip O'Neill's .851.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to Tip O'Neill's .326.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Tip O'Neill's 1,385.