Reggie Smith vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Reggie Smith (1966–1982) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Reggie Smith's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Reggie Smith, with .287 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Reggie Smith's 32,131.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Reggie Smith's 1.
Reggie Smith
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Smith and Willie Stargell. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Smith | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,987 | Leads: 2,360 |
| At-Bats | 7,033 | Leads: 7,927 |
| Runs | 1,123 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Hits | 2,020 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | 363 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 57 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 314 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,092 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 890 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts | 1,030 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .287 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .366 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .489 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell leads Reggie Smith 42,804 to 32,131 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,038 vs 1,785 per year). 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).
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Reggie Smith owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Reggie Smith vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Smith or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Reggie Smith in 10 of 14 categories.
- Did Reggie Smith or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Reggie Smith's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Reggie Smith, with .287 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.