Mel Ott vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott and Ted Williams are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mel Ott played 1926–1947 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
Mel Ott (1926–1947) and Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 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 hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Mel Ott's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Ted Williams's 1,839.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Mel Ott's 64,873.
- Who won more championships? Mel Ott, with 1 World Series title to Ted Williams's 0.
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mel Ott and Ted 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, and the 1920s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mel Ott | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,730 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,456 | 7,706 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,859 | 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,876 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 511 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,860 | 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,708 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 896 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 89 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .304 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .414 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .533 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .947 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Mel Ott 96,302 to 64,873 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 2,949 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Mel Ott's 22. 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).
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Williams leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Mel Ott owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mel Ott and Ted Williams careers compare
From 1939 through 1947, Mel Ott and Ted Williams were in the majors together. With 2,730 games against 2,292 across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts), and Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Ted Williams holds the edge, .634 to .533. Ted Williams owns the better peak by OPS: 1.084 OPS in 1929 for Mel Ott against 1.287 OPS in 1941 for Ted Williams.
Mel Ott vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Mel Ott or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Mel Ott's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Mel Ott's .947.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Mel Ott's .304.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Ted Williams's 2,654.