Jimmy Ryan vs Sam Thompson: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Thompson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jimmy Ryan played 1885–1903 as a hitter; Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 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
Jimmy Ryan (1885–1903) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — both debuted in the 1880s. Jimmy Ryan finished with 2,513 hits and 118 home runs; Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Sam Thompson, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to Jimmy Ryan's 118.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Jimmy Ryan's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to Jimmy Ryan's .308.
- Who had more hits? Jimmy Ryan, with 2,513 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Jimmy Ryan's 1,093.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to Jimmy Ryan's 27,588.
Jimmy Ryan
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmy Ryan and Sam Thompson. 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 | Jimmy Ryan | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,014 | 1,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,172 | 5,998 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,643 | 1,261 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,513 | 1,988 |
| Doubles | Leads: 451 | 343 |
| Triples | 157 | Leads: 161 |
| Home Runs | 118 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 1,093 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 804 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 491 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 419 | 232 |
| Batting Avg | .308 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .375 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson edges Jimmy Ryan 29,910 to 27,588 — driven by per-season impact — 1,994 PIV per season to 1,533 — rather than by longevity, since Sam Thompson played 15 seasons to Jimmy Ryan's 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).
Jimmy Ryan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Sam Thompson leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: triples, home runs, RBI, batting average, and others. Jimmy Ryan leads 5: runs, hits, doubles, walks, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam Thompson. PIV agrees: Sam Thompson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmy Ryan and Sam Thompson careers compare
The careers of Jimmy Ryan (1885–1903) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) overlapped from 1885 to 1903, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,014 games for Jimmy Ryan and 1,410 for Sam Thompson across 18 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jimmy Ryan walked more often than struck out (804 walks, 491 strikeouts), and Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). Sam Thompson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 1,988 hits leaving the park. Jimmy Ryan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Jimmy Ryan vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmy Ryan or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads Jimmy Ryan in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jimmy Ryan or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Jimmy Ryan's 118.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Jimmy Ryan's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to Jimmy Ryan's .308.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmy Ryan, with 2,513 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.