Pete Rose vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Pete Rose (1963–1986) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1950s respectively and share 14 seasons. Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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? Pete Rose, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Billy Williams, with 426 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Williams, with .853 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Billy Williams's 2,711.
- Who drove in more runs? Billy Williams, with 1,475 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Williams, with 44,022 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
Pete Rose
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pete Rose 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 | Pete Rose | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,562 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats not scored | 14,053 | 9,350 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,165 | 1,410 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,256 | 2,711 |
| Doubles | Leads: 746 | 434 |
| Triples | Leads: 135 | 88 |
| Home Runs | 160 | Leads: 426 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,566 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,143 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 198 | 90 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .492 |
| OPS | .784 | Leads: .853 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Williams edges Pete Rose 44,022 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,446 PIV per season to 1,699 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Williams played 18 seasons to Pete Rose's 24. 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).
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Pete Rose leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Billy Williams leads 4: home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Billy Williams higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Rose and Billy Williams careers compare
Pete Rose and Billy Williams were active at the same time between 1963 and 1976. With 3,562 games against 2,488 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Billy Williams are home runs (426 to 160), RBI (1,475 to 1,314), and slugging percentage (.492 to .409). At the plate, Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts), while Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Home runs make up a larger share of Billy Williams's hits: 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose, 426 of 2,711 for Billy Williams.
Pete Rose vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Rose or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Billy Williams in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Pete Rose or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Billy Williams, with 426 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Williams, with .853 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Billy Williams's 2,711.