Willie Stargell vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Williams 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). Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Willie Stargell (1962–1982) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1950s respectively and share 15 seasons. Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 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? Billy Williams, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Williams, with .290 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Billy Williams's 1,475.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Williams, with 44,022 career PIV to Willie Stargell's 42,804.
Willie Stargell
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Stargell 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 | Willie Stargell | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,360 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,927 | 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,194 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | 2,232 | Leads: 2,711 |
| Doubles | 423 | Leads: 434 |
| Triples | 55 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 475 | 426 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,540 | 1,475 |
| Walks | 937 | Leads: 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,936 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 17 | Leads: 90 |
| Batting Avg | .282 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .529 | .492 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .853 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Williams edges Willie Stargell 44,022 to 42,804 — driven by per-season impact — 2,446 PIV per season to 2,038 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Williams played 18 seasons to Willie Stargell's 21. 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).
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Billy Williams leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Willie Stargell leads 4: home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Williams. PIV agrees: Billy Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Stargell and Billy Williams careers compare
Willie Stargell and Billy Williams were active at the same time between 1962 and 1976. The two careers are close in length, 2,360 games for Willie Stargell and 2,488 for Billy Williams across 21 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Willie Stargell comes out ahead, it is in home runs (475 to 426), RBI (1,540 to 1,475), and slugging percentage (.529 to .492). At the plate, Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937), and Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045).
Willie Stargell vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Stargell or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Williams leads Willie Stargell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Willie Stargell or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Billy Williams's 426.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Billy Williams's .853.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Williams, with .290 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.