Zack Wheat vs Cy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheat 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). Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 as a hitter; Cy Williams played 1912–1930 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
Zack Wheat (1909–1927) and Cy Williams (1912–1930) — they debuted in the 1900s and the 1910s respectively and share 16 seasons. Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 home runs; Cy Williams finished with 1,981 hits and 251 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Zack Wheat, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Cy Williams, with 251 to Zack Wheat's 132.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cy Williams, with .835 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Zack Wheat, with .317 to Cy Williams's .292.
- Who had more hits? Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Cy Williams's 1,981.
- Who drove in more runs? Zack Wheat, with 1,248 to Cy Williams's 1,005.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Zack Wheat, with 30,370 career PIV to Cy Williams's 24,595.
Zack Wheat
Cy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Zack Wheat and Cy 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 | Zack Wheat | Cy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,410 | 2,002 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,106 | 6,780 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,289 | 1,024 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,884 | 1,981 |
| Doubles | Leads: 476 | 306 |
| Triples | Leads: 172 | 74 |
| Home Runs | 132 | Leads: 251 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,248 | 1,005 |
| Walks | 650 | Leads: 690 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 572 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 205 | 115 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .367 | .365 |
| Slugging % | .450 | Leads: .470 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .835 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheat leads Cy Williams 30,370 to 24,595 — driven by per-season impact — 1,598 PIV per season to 1,294 — rather than by longevity, since Zack Wheat played 19 seasons to Cy Williams's 19. 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).
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Zack Wheat leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Cy Williams leads 4: home runs, walks, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheat. PIV agrees: Zack Wheat grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Wheat and Cy Williams careers compare
Zack Wheat and Cy Williams were active at the same time between 1912 and 1927. The two careers are close in length, 2,410 games for Zack Wheat and 2,002 for Cy Williams across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Cy Williams comes out ahead, it is in home runs (251 to 132), walks (690 to 650), and slugging percentage (.470 to .450). Plate discipline differs: Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts), but Cy Williams struck out more than walked (721 to 690).
Zack Wheat vs Cy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Wheat or Cy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheat leads Cy Williams in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Zack Wheat or Cy Williams hit more home runs?
- Cy Williams, with 251 to Zack Wheat's 132.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cy Williams, with .835 to Zack Wheat's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Zack Wheat, with .317 to Cy Williams's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Cy Williams's 1,981.