Cy Williams vs Hack Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Williams 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). Cy Williams played 1912–1930 as a hitter; Hack Wilson played 1923–1934 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
Cy Williams (1912–1930) and Hack Wilson (1923–1934) — they debuted in the 1910s and the 1920s respectively and share 8 seasons. Cy Williams finished with 1,981 hits and 251 home runs; Hack Wilson finished with 1,461 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Cy Williams, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Cy Williams, with 251 to Hack Wilson's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hack Wilson, with .940 to Cy Williams's .835.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hack Wilson, with .307 to Cy Williams's .292.
- Who had more hits? Cy Williams, with 1,981 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Hack Wilson, with 1,063 to Cy Williams's 1,005.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hack Wilson, with 27,235 career PIV to Cy Williams's 24,595.
Cy Williams
Hack Wilson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cy Williams and Hack Wilson. 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 | Cy Williams | Hack Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,002 | 1,348 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,780 | 4,760 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,024 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,981 | 1,461 |
| Doubles | Leads: 306 | 266 |
| Triples | Leads: 74 | 67 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 251 | 244 |
| RBI | 1,005 | Leads: 1,063 |
| Walks | Leads: 690 | 674 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 721 | 713 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 115 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .292 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | .365 | Leads: .395 |
| Slugging % | .470 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .835 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hack Wilson leads Cy Williams 27,235 to 24,595 — driven by per-season impact — 2,270 PIV per season to 1,294 — rather than by longevity, since Hack Wilson played 12 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).
Cy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hack Wilson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Cy Williams leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Hack Wilson leads 5: RBI, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cy Williams. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Hack Wilson higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cy Williams and Hack Wilson careers compare
From 1923 through 1930, Cy Williams and Hack Wilson were in the majors together. With 2,002 games against 1,348 across 19 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Cy Williams struck out more than walked (721 to 690), and Hack Wilson struck out more than walked (713 to 674). Home runs make up a larger share of Hack Wilson's hits: 251 of 1,981 for Cy Williams, 244 of 1,461 for Hack Wilson. On the bases, Cy Williams stole more often per game played (115 steals in 2,002 games for Cy Williams, 52 in 1,348 for Hack Wilson).
Cy Williams vs Hack Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cy Williams or Hack Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Williams leads Hack Wilson in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Cy Williams or Hack Wilson hit more home runs?
- Cy Williams, with 251 to Hack Wilson's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hack Wilson, with .940 to Cy Williams's .835.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hack Wilson, with .307 to Cy Williams's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Cy Williams, with 1,981 to Hack Wilson's 1,461.