Say Hey or Splendid Splinter - Breaking Down Willie Mays vs. Ted Williams

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Last Updated: May 2nd, 2024 by Jake Cain

Ted Williams vs. Willie Mays: Titans of the Diamond

Ted Williams and Willie Mays. Names that resonate with the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowds, and the dusty allure of baseball legend. Two icons, whose careers offer endless fodder for debates in bars, living rooms, and anywhere fans of the game gather.

Screenshot 2024 05 02 6.50.05 PM — Via Stathead

The Splendid Splinter and The Say Hey Kid

When you heard about Teddy Ballgame, you couldn’t help but think, “Now there’s a guy who could hit a pea through a tornado.” Ted Williams, with a swing so precise that scientists wanted to study it, and a gaze so intense it could burn right through you. Then there was Willie Mays, The Say Hey Kid, who could snatch a ball from the sky like he was plucking an apple from a tree. Both men not only defined an era but transcended it.

The Art of Hitting vs. The Five-Tool Superstar

Williams was a craftsman at the plate. His .344 average, a feat that’s like hitting bullseyes blindfolded, and his 521 home runs made pitchers weep. Ted was the last to hit over .400 in a season, a number that’s sacred in baseball, like a four-leaf clover in a field of grass.

On to Mays, whose 660 home runs made him a legend of long-ball lore. But Willie wasn’t just a slugger; he was the quintessential five-tool player. He’d hit, run, throw, field, and as for power – well, he had enough to light up New York City.

Ted Williams Stats

Standard Batting
Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1939	20	BOS	AL	149	677	565	131	185	44	11	31	*145*	2	1	107	64	.327	.436	.609	1.045	160	344	10	2	3		12	*9	MVP-4
1940	21	BOS	AL	144	661	561	*134*	193	43	14	23	113	4	4	96	54	.344	.442	.594	1.036	162	333	13	3	1		3	*79/1H	AS,MVP-14
1941	22	BOS	AL	143	606	456	*135*	185	33	3	37	120	2	4	*147*	27	.406	*.553*	*.735*	*1.287*	*235*	335	10	3	0		25	*7H/9	AS,MVP-2
1942	23	BOS	AL	150	671	522	*141*	186	34	5	36	*137*	3	2	*145*	51	.356	*.499*	*.648*	*1.147*	*216*	*338*	12	4	0		20	*7/9	AS,MVP-2
1943			Did not play in major or minor leagues (Military Service)
1944			Did not play in major or minor leagues (Military Service)
1945			Did not play in major or minor leagues (Military Service)
1946	27	BOS	AL	150	672	514	*142*	176	37	8	38	123	0	0	*156*	44	.342	*.497*	*.667*	*1.164*	*215*	343	12	2	0		29	*7	AS,MVP-1
1947	28	BOS	AL	156	693	528	125	181	40	9	32	114	0	1	*162*	47	.343	*.499*	.634	*1.133*	*205*	335	10	2	1		29	*7	AS,MVP-2
1948	29	BOS	AL	137	638	509	124	188	44	3	25	127	4	0	126	41	.369	.497	.615	1.112	189	313	10	3	0		14	*7/H	AS,MVP-3
1949	30	BOS	AL	155	730	566	*150*	194	39	3	43	*159*	1	1	*162*	48	.343	*.490*	.650	*1.141*	*191*	368	22	2	0		11	*7	AS,MVP-1
1950	31	BOS	AL	89	416	334	82	106	24	1	28	97	3	0	82	21	.317	.452	.647	1.099	168	216	12	0	0		2	7/H	AS,MVP-21
1951	32	BOS	AL	148	675	531	109	169	28	4	30	126	1	1	*144*	45	.318	*.464*	.556	1.019	164	295	10	0	0		9	*7/H	AS,MVP-13
1952	33	BOS	AL	6	12	10	2	4	0	1	1	3	0	0	2	2	.400	.500	.900	1.400	273	9	0	0	0		0	/H7
1953	34	BOS	AL	37	110	91	17	37	6	0	13	34	0	1	19	10	.407	.509	.901	1.410	268	82	1	0	0		1	7H	AS,MVP-26
1954	35	BOS	AL	117	526	386	93	133	23	1	29	89	0	0	*136*	32	.345	*.513*	.635	*1.148*	*201*	245	10	1	0	3	17	*7/H	AS,MVP-7
1955	36	BOS	AL	98	417	320	77	114	21	3	28	83	2	0	91	24	.356	.496	.703	1.200	209	225	8	2	0	4	17	7/H	AS,MVP-4
1956	37	BOS	AL	136	503	400	71	138	28	2	24	82	0	0	102	39	.345	*.479*	.605	1.084	172	242	13	1	0	0	11	*7H	AS,MVP-6
1957	38	BOS	AL	132	547	420	96	163	28	1	38	87	0	1	119	43	*.388*	*.526*	*.731*	*1.257*	*233*	307	11	5	0	2	33	*7/H	AS,MVP-2
1958	39	BOS	AL	129	517	411	81	135	23	2	26	85	1	0	98	49	.328	*.458*	.584	*1.042*	179	240	19	4	0	4	12	*7H	AS,MVP-7
1959	40	BOS	AL	103	331	272	32	69	15	0	10	43	0	0	52	27	.254	.372	.419	.791	114	114	7	2	0	5	6	7H	AS,AS,MVP-26
1960	41	BOS	AL	113	390	310	56	98	15	0	29	72	1	1	75	41	.316	.451	.645	1.096	190	200	7	3	0	2	7	7H	AS,AS,MVP-13
19 Yrs				2292	9792	7706	1798	2654	525	71	521	1839	24	17	2021	709	.344	.482	.634	1.116	191	4884	197	39	5	20	258
162 Game Avg.				162	692	545	127	188	37	5	37	130	2	1	143	50	.344	.482	.634	1.116	191	345	14	3	0		18
				G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/2/2024.

Willie Mays Stats

Standard Batting
Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1948	17	BBB	NAL	13	48	43	6	10	2	1	0	6	1		4		.233	.313	.326	.638	71	14		1	0			7/9

1951	20	NYG	NL	121	524	464	59	127	22	5	20	68	7	4	57	60	.274	.356	.472	.828	120	219	11	2	1		7	*8	RoY-1
1952	21	NYG	NL	34	144	127	17	30	2	4	4	23	4	1	16	17	.236	.326	.409	.736	102	52	2	1	0		1	8
1953			Did not play in major or minor leagues (Military Service)
1954	23	NYG	NL	151	641	565	119	195	33	13	41	110	8	5	66	57	*.345*	.411	*.667*	1.078	175	377	12	2	0	7	14	*8	AS,MVP-1
1955	24	NYG	NL	152	670	580	123	185	18	13	51	127	24	4	79	60	.319	.400	*.659*	*1.059*	174	*382*	12	4	0	7	13	*8	AS,MVP-4
1956	25	NYG	NL	152	651	578	101	171	27	8	36	84	40	10	68	65	.296	.369	.557	.926	146	322	16	1	0	3	20	*8	AS,MVP-17
1957	26	NYG	NL	152	669	585	112	195	26	20	35	97	38	19	76	62	.333	.407	.626	1.033	173	366	14	1	0	6	15	*8/H	AS,MVP-4,GG
1958	27	SFG	NL	152	685	600	121	208	33	11	29	96	31	6	78	56	.347	.419	.583	1.002	165	350	11	1	0	6	12	*8/H	AS,MVP-2,GG
1959	28	SFG	NL	151	649	575	125	180	43	5	34	104	27	4	65	58	.313	.381	.583	.964	156	335	11	2	0	6	9	*8/H	AS,AS,MVP-6,GG
1960	29	SFG	NL	153	669	595	107	*190*	29	12	29	103	25	10	61	70	.319	.381	.555	.936	160	330	15	4	0	9	11	*8/H	AS,AS,MVP-3,GG
1961	30	SFG	NL	154	659	572	129	176	32	3	40	123	18	9	81	77	.308	.393	.584	.977	160	334	14	2	0	4	15	*8/H	AS,AS,MVP-6,GG
1962	31	SFG	NL	162	706	621	130	189	36	5	49	141	18	2	78	85	.304	.384	.615	.999	165	*382*	19	4	0	3	11	*8/H	AS,AS,MVP-2,GG
1963	32	SFG	NL	157	671	596	115	187	32	7	38	103	8	3	66	83	.314	.380	.582	.962	175	347	15	2	0	7	5	*8/H6	AS,MVP-5,GG
1964	33	SFG	NL	157	665	578	121	171	21	9	47	111	19	5	82	72	.296	.383	*.607*	.990	172	351	11	1	1	3	13	*8/H356	AS,MVP-6,GG
1965	34	SFG	NL	157	638	558	118	177	21	3	52	112	9	4	76	71	.317	*.398*	*.645*	*1.043*	*185*	*360*	11	0	2	2	16	*8/H97	AS,MVP-1,GG
1966	35	SFG	NL	152	629	552	99	159	29	4	37	103	5	1	70	81	.288	.368	.556	.924	149	307	13	2	1	4	11	*8/9H7	AS,MVP-3,GG
1967	36	SFG	NL	141	544	486	83	128	22	2	22	70	6	0	51	92	.263	.334	.453	.787	124	220	12	2	2	3	7	*8H	AS,GG
1968	37	SFG	NL	148	573	498	84	144	20	5	23	79	12	6	67	81	.289	.372	.488	.860	156	243	13	2	0	6	7	*8/H39	AS,MVP-13,GG
1969	38	SFG	NL	117	459	403	64	114	17	3	13	58	6	2	49	71	.283	.362	.437	.798	124	176	8	3	0	4	7	8H/93	AS
1970	39	SFG	NL	139	566	478	94	139	15	2	28	83	5	0	79	90	.291	.390	.506	.897	140	242	7	3	0	6	3	*8H/3	AS
1971	40	SFG	NL	136	537	417	82	113	24	5	18	61	23	3	112	123	.271	.425	.482	.907	158	201	8	3	1	4	11	83H	AS,MVP-19
1972	41	TOT	NL	88	309	244	35	61	11	1	8	22	4	5	60	48	.250	.400	.402	.802	131	98	9	1	4	0	6	8H3	AS
1972	41	SFG	NL	19	67	49	8	9	2	0	0	3	3	0	17	5	.184	.394	.224	.618	79	11	4	0	1	0	1	8/H
1972	41	NYM	NL	69	242	195	27	52	9	1	8	19	1	5	43	43	.267	.402	.446	.848	145	87	5	1	3	0	5	8H3
1973	42	NYM	NL	66	239	209	24	44	10	0	6	25	1	0	27	47	.211	.303	.344	.647	81	72	7	1	1	1	0	83/H	AS
23 Yrs				3005	12545	10924	2068	3293	525	141	660	1909	339	103	1468	1526	.301	.384	.557	.940	155	6080	251	45	13	91	214
162 Game Avg.				162	676	589	111	178	28	8	36	103	18		79		.301	.384	.557	.940	155	328		2	1
				G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
SFG (21 yrs)				2857	12016	10477	2011	3187	504	139	646	1859	336	98	1394	1436	.304	.385	.564	.949	157	5907	239	42	9	90	209
NYM (2 yrs)				135	481	404	51	96	19	1	14	44	2	5	70	90	.238	.352	.394	.746	112	159	12	2	4	1	5
BBB (1 yr)				13	48	43	6	10	2	1	0	6	1		4		.233	.313	.326	.638	71	14		1	0

NL (22 yrs)				2992	12497	10881	2062	3283	523	140	660	1903	338	103	1464	1526	.302	.384	.557	.941	156	6066	251	44	13	91	214
NAL (1 yr)				13	48	43	6	10	2	1	0	6	1		4		.233	.313	.326	.638	71	14		1	0

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/2/2024.

Accolades and Acknowledgments

Ted Williams

19× All-Star (1940–1942, 1946–1951, 1953–1960)
2× AL MVP (1946, 1949)
2× Triple Crown (1942, 1947)
6× AL batting champion (1941, 1942, 1947, 1948, 1957, 1958)
4× AL home run leader (1941, 1942, 1947, 1949)
4× AL RBI leader (1939, 1942, 1947, 1949)
MLB record .482 career on-base percentage
Boston Red Sox No. 9 retired

Willie Mays

24× All-Star (1954–1973)
World Series champion (1954)
2× NL MVP (1954, 1965)
NL Rookie of the Year (1951)
12× Gold Glove Award (1957–1968)
Roberto Clemente Award (1971)
NL batting champion (1954)
4× NL home run leader (1955, 1962, 1964, 1965)
4× NL stolen base leader (1956–1959)
San Francisco Giants No. 24 retired
New York Mets No. 24 retired

The Legacy of Baseball’s Titans

Ted Williams, the man who served his country not once, but twice, missing prime years of baseball to be a fighter pilot. His commitment to excellence was only matched by his commitment to his nation.

Willie Mays, the human highlight reel in center field, the man with a smile that could light up Candlestick on the foggiest of days. His over-the-shoulder catch in the ’54 World Series is etched into the annals of sports history.

In the Hearts and Minds of Fans

To this day, arguments simmer about who was better. Was it Williams with his surgeon-like precision at the plate or Mays with his all-around brilliance? Like comparing a masterful solo to a complete symphony – each has its beauty, its artistry, its place in time.

Williams taught us the beauty of patience and perfection, while Mays showed us joy and the thrill of the game. To choose between them would be to choose between the breath and the heartbeat of baseball. Each was essential, each was revered, and each will forever be a part of the story of America’s pastime.

So, here’s to Ted Williams and Willie Mays – two giants of the game whose legends will never fade. Like two comets streaking across the same night sky, brilliant, unforgettable, and awe-inspiring.