Frank Robinson vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 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? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Ted Williams's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Frank Robinson's .926.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Frank Robinson's 1,812.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Frank Robinson's 67,113.
- Who won more championships? Frank Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Williams's 0.
Frank Robinson
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson 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 1950s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Frank Robinson | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,808 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,006 | 7,706 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,829 | 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,943 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | Leads: 528 | 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 71 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 521 |
| RBI | 1,812 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,420 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,532 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .294 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .389 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .537 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .926 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Frank Robinson 96,302 to 67,113 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 3,051 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Frank Robinson'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).
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Williams leads in RBI, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Frank Robinson owns hits, home runs, 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 Frank Robinson and Ted Williams careers compare
Frank Robinson and Ted Williams were active at the same time between 1956 and 1960. With 2,808 games against 2,292 across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420), but Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (204 steals in 2,808 games for Frank Robinson, 24 in 2,292 for Ted Williams). On the peak-season lists, Frank Robinson's best year is 1966 at 1.047 OPS and Ted Williams's is 1941 at 1.287 OPS; Ted Williams has the stronger single season.
Frank Robinson vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Ted Williams in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Ted Williams's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Frank Robinson's .926.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Ted Williams's 2,654.