Frank Robinson vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson 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). Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both debuted in the 1950s. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 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 leads the career comparison? Frank Robinson, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Billy Williams's 2,711.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Billy Williams's 1,475.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Billy Williams's 44,022.
Frank Robinson
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson and Billy Williams. 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 | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,808 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,006 | 9,350 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,829 | 1,410 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,943 | 2,711 |
| Doubles | Leads: 528 | 434 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 426 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,812 | 1,475 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,420 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,532 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 90 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .492 |
| OPS | Leads: .926 | .853 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Billy Williams 67,113 to 44,022 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,196 PIV per season to 2,446, across 21 seasons to 18. 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
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Frank Robinson leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Billy Williams leads 1: triples. 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 Billy Williams careers compare
From 1959 through 1976, Frank Robinson and Billy Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,808 games for Frank Robinson and 2,488 for Billy Williams across 21 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Billy Williams's edges on the table are triples (88 to 72). Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420); Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Frank Robinson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Frank Robinson holds the edge, .537 to .492.
Frank Robinson vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Billy Williams in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Billy Williams's 2,711.