Frank Robinson vs Reggie Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 as a hitter; Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Reggie Smith (1966–1982) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 11 seasons. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs; Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Frank Robinson, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Reggie Smith's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Reggie Smith's 32,131.
Frank Robinson
Reggie Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson and Reggie Smith. 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 | Frank Robinson | Reggie Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,808 | 1,987 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,006 | 7,033 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,829 | 1,123 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,943 | 2,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 528 | 363 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 57 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 314 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,812 | 1,092 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,420 | 890 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,532 | 1,030 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .287 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .366 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .926 | .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Reggie Smith 67,113 to 32,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,196 PIV per season to 1,890, across 21 seasons to 17. 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).
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Frank Robinson leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Reggie Smith leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Frank Robinson and Reggie Smith careers compare
The careers of Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Reggie Smith (1966–1982) overlapped from 1966 to 1976, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,808 games for Frank Robinson and 1,987 for Reggie Smith across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Frank Robinson. At the plate, Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420), and Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890). On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (204 steals in 2,808 games for Frank Robinson, 137 in 1,987 for Reggie Smith).
Frank Robinson vs Reggie Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Reggie Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Reggie Smith in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Reggie Smith hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Reggie Smith's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.