Rusty Staub 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). Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 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
Rusty Staub (1963–1985) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1950s respectively and share 14 seasons. Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 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? Billy Williams, with 426 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Williams, with .853 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Billy Williams, with .290 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Billy Williams's 2,711.
- Who drove in more runs? Billy Williams, with 1,475 to Rusty Staub's 1,466.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Williams, with 44,022 career PIV to Rusty Staub's 30,346.
Rusty Staub
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rusty Staub 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 | Rusty Staub | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,951 | 2,488 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,720 | 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,189 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,716 | 2,711 |
| Doubles | Leads: 499 | 434 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 292 | Leads: 426 |
| RBI | 1,466 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,255 | 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 888 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 47 | Leads: 90 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .362 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .431 | Leads: .492 |
| OPS | .793 | Leads: .853 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Williams outpaces Rusty Staub 44,022 to 30,346 — driven by per-season impact — 2,446 PIV per season to 1,319 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Williams played 18 seasons to Rusty Staub's 23. 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).
Rusty Staub — 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, triples, home runs, RBI, and others. Rusty Staub leads 4: hits, doubles, walks, and on-base percentage. 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 Rusty Staub and Billy Williams careers compare
The careers of Rusty Staub (1963–1985) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) overlapped from 1963 to 1976, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,951 games against 2,488 across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Rusty Staub are hits (2,716 to 2,711), doubles (499 to 434), and walks (1,255 to 1,045). At the plate, Rusty Staub walked more often than struck out (1,255 walks, 888 strikeouts), while Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). Billy Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 426 of 2,711 hits leaving the park.
Rusty Staub vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rusty Staub or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Williams leads Rusty Staub in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Rusty Staub or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Billy Williams, with 426 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Williams, with .853 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Billy Williams, with .290 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Billy Williams's 2,711.