Duke Snider vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Duke Snider 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). Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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
Duke Snider (1947–1964) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 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 Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Duke Snider, with .295 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Duke Snider's 2,116.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Duke Snider's 1,333.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Duke Snider's 39,968.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Duke Snider
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Duke Snider and Willie Stargell. 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 1940s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Duke Snider | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,143 | Leads: 2,360 |
| At-Bats | 7,161 | Leads: 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,259 | 1,194 |
| Hits | 2,116 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | 358 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 85 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 407 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,333 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 971 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,237 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 99 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .360 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .540 | .529 |
| OPS | Leads: .919 | .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell edges Duke Snider 42,804 to 39,968 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Stargell played 21 seasons to Duke Snider's 18, while Duke Snider carries the higher per-season figure (2,220 to 2,038). 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).
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Duke Snider leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Willie Stargell owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Duke Snider. Note that PIV actually grades Willie Stargell ahead, which means Duke Snider's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Duke Snider and Willie Stargell careers compare
The careers of Duke Snider (1947–1964) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) overlapped from 1962 to 1964, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,143 games against 2,360 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971); Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). In slugging percentage, Duke Snider holds the edge, .540 to .529. Best seasons: 1954 for Duke Snider (1.071 OPS, 40 HR, 130 RBI, .341 avg) and 1973 for Willie Stargell (1.038 OPS, 44 HR, 119 RBI, .299 avg).
Duke Snider vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Duke Snider or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Duke Snider leads Willie Stargell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Duke Snider or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Duke Snider, with .295 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Duke Snider's 2,116.