Harry Stovey 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). Harry Stovey played 1880–1893 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
Harry Stovey (1880–1893) and Sam Thompson (1885–1906) — both debuted in the 1880s. Harry Stovey finished with 1,775 hits and 122 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 Harry Stovey's 122.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to Harry Stovey's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to Harry Stovey's .288.
- Who had more hits? Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Harry Stovey's 1,775.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to Harry Stovey's 912.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to Harry Stovey's 29,690.
Harry Stovey
Sam Thompson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harry Stovey 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 | Harry Stovey | Sam Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,489 | 1,410 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,153 | 5,998 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,495 | 1,261 |
| Hits | 1,775 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Doubles | Leads: 348 | 343 |
| Triples | Leads: 176 | 161 |
| Home Runs | 122 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | 912 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 664 | 452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 452 | 234 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 232 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .462 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson edges Harry Stovey 29,910 to 29,690 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Sam Thompson played 15 seasons to Harry Stovey's 14, while Harry Stovey carries the higher per-season figure (2,121 to 1,994). 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).
Harry Stovey — 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: hits, home runs, RBI, batting average, and others. Harry Stovey leads 5: runs, doubles, triples, 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 Harry Stovey and Sam Thompson careers compare
From 1885 through 1893, Harry Stovey and Sam Thompson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,489 games for Harry Stovey and 1,410 for Sam Thompson across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Harry Stovey walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 452 strikeouts), and Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts). On the bases, Harry Stovey stole more often per game played (509 steals in 1,489 games for Harry Stovey, 232 in 1,410 for Sam Thompson). Sam Thompson's slugging percentage of .505 tops Harry Stovey's .462.
Harry Stovey vs Sam Thompson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harry Stovey or Sam Thompson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads Harry Stovey in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Harry Stovey or Sam Thompson hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to Harry Stovey's 122.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to Harry Stovey's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to Harry Stovey's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Sam Thompson, with 1,988 to Harry Stovey's 1,775.