Brooks Robinson vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 as a hitter; Billy Williams played 1959–1976 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
Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs; Billy Williams finished with 2,711 hits and 426 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Billy Williams, with 426 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Williams, with .853 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Williams, with .290 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits? Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Billy Williams's 2,711.
- Who drove in more runs? Billy Williams, with 1,475 to Brooks Robinson's 1,357.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Williams, with 44,022 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Brooks Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Billy Williams's 0.
Brooks Robinson
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brooks Robinson and Billy 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Brooks Robinson | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,896 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,654 | 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,232 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,848 | 2,711 |
| Doubles | Leads: 482 | 434 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 268 | Leads: 426 |
| RBI | 1,357 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Walks | 860 | Leads: 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 990 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 90 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .322 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | .401 | Leads: .492 |
| OPS | .723 | Leads: .853 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Williams outpaces Brooks Robinson 44,022 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 2,446 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Williams played 18 seasons to Brooks Robinson's 23. 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).
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Williams leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Brooks Robinson owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Williams. PIV agrees: Billy Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brooks Robinson and Billy Williams careers compare
Brooks Robinson and Billy Williams were active at the same time between 1959 and 1976. With 2,896 games against 2,488 across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Brooks Robinson are games (2,896 to 2,488), at-bats (10,654 to 9,350), and hits (2,848 to 2,711). Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860); Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Billy Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 426 of 2,711 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Billy Williams holds the edge, .492 to .401.
Brooks Robinson vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brooks Robinson or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Williams leads Brooks Robinson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brooks Robinson or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Billy Williams, with 426 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Williams, with .853 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Williams, with .290 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Billy Williams's 2,711.