Sam Thompson vs George Van Haltren: Career Stats Comparison
Sam Thompson has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sam Thompson played 1885–1906 as a hitter; George Van Haltren played 1887–1903 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
Sam Thompson (1885–1906) and George Van Haltren (1887–1903) — both debuted in the 1880s. Sam Thompson finished with 1,988 hits and 126 home runs; George Van Haltren finished with 2,544 hits and 69 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 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Sam Thompson, with 126 to George Van Haltren's 69.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sam Thompson, with .890 to George Van Haltren's .803.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sam Thompson, with .331 to George Van Haltren's .316.
- Who had more hits? George Van Haltren, with 2,544 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.
- Who drove in more runs? Sam Thompson, with 1,308 to George Van Haltren's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sam Thompson, with 29,910 career PIV to George Van Haltren's 23,525.
Sam Thompson
George Van Haltren
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sam Thompson and George Van Haltren. 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 | Sam Thompson | George Van Haltren |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,410 | 1,990 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,998 | 8,043 |
| Runs | 1,261 | Leads: 1,642 |
| Hits | 1,988 | Leads: 2,544 |
| Doubles | Leads: 343 | 286 |
| Triples | 161 | 161 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 126 | 69 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,308 | 1,015 |
| Walks | 452 | Leads: 871 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 234 | 498 |
| Stolen Bases | 232 | Leads: 583 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .331 | .316 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .386 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .418 |
| OPS | Leads: .890 | .803 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sam Thompson leads George Van Haltren 29,910 to 23,525 — driven by per-season impact — 1,994 PIV per season to 1,384 — rather than by longevity, since Sam Thompson played 15 seasons to George Van Haltren's 17. 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).
Sam Thompson — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Van Haltren — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Sam Thompson leads 6 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: doubles, home runs, RBI, batting average, and others. George Van Haltren leads 5: runs, hits, walks, stolen bases, and others. 1 is tied. 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 Sam Thompson and George Van Haltren careers compare
Sam Thompson and George Van Haltren were active at the same time between 1887 and 1903. The two careers are close in length, 1,410 games for Sam Thompson and 1,990 for George Van Haltren across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Sam Thompson walked more often than struck out (452 walks, 234 strikeouts), and George Van Haltren walked more often than struck out (871 walks, 498 strikeouts). Sam Thompson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 126 of 1,988 hits leaving the park.
Sam Thompson vs George Van Haltren: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam Thompson or George Van Haltren?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sam Thompson leads George Van Haltren in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Sam Thompson or George Van Haltren hit more home runs?
- Sam Thompson, with 126 to George Van Haltren's 69.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sam Thompson, with .890 to George Van Haltren's .803.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sam Thompson, with .331 to George Van Haltren's .316.
- Who had more hits?
- George Van Haltren, with 2,544 to Sam Thompson's 1,988.