Cal Ripken vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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
Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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 Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Cal Ripken's 1,695.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Ted Williams's 0.
Cal Ripken
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken 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 1980s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cal Ripken | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 7,706 |
| Runs | 1,647 | Leads: 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 525 |
| Triples | 44 | Leads: 71 |
| Home Runs | 431 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,695 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,129 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 36 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .788 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Cal Ripken 96,302 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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).
Cal Ripken — 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, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Cal Ripken owns hits and stolen bases. 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 Cal Ripken and Ted Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Ted Williams played 1939–1960, Cal Ripken 1981–2001. With 3,001 games against 2,292 across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129), while 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 on-base percentage, Ted Williams holds the edge, .482 to .340. Ted Williams owns the better peak by OPS: .952 OPS in 1999 for Cal Ripken against 1.287 OPS in 1941 for Ted Williams.
Cal Ripken vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Cal Ripken in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Ted Williams's 2,654.