Elwood George "Woody" English (March 2, 1906 – September 26, 1997) was an American shortstop who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for twelve seasons with the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers. His uncle Paul Carpenter also played professional baseball.

English was born on March 2, 1906, on a farm in Licking County, Ohio. He went to Newark High School, where he played second base on the baseball team. In English's senior season, the team went undefeated. After high school, English worked for Pure Oil and Firestone Rubber. During breaks, he would play baseball with Pure Oil's local team. In 1924, English played for the Zanesville Greys, a semi-pro. The league that the Greys played in had other Major League players, including Al Schweitzer

In the following year of 1925, English signed a contract with the Toledo Mud Hens, a Double-A team apart of the American Association, for $300 a month.[1] Being the youngest player on his team, 18, English played 131 games at shortstop and batted .220 and a .946 fielding percentage.[2] The following year played a team-high 162 games and batted a .301 average, a team-high 15 triples and a .948 fielding percentage.[3]

After playing for the Mud Hens, English was purchased for $50,000 by the Chicago Cubs. He made his Major League debut on April 26, 1927, a 5-8 losing game against the Cincinnati Reds.[4] English went 0-2 with one strikeout. The Cubs finished fourth place, finishing 8.5 games from first place.

Highlights[edit]

1933 All-Star Game
Twice led National League in games played (156, 1930–31)
Finished fourth in National League MVP vote (1931), behind Frankie Frisch, Chuck Klein and Bill Terry
Between 1952 and 1954 managed the Grand Rapids Chicks of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, leading his team to a Championship (1953) and two playoff appearances

Following baseball, English decided to work for a factory in Chicago, Illinois. During World War II, he worked on airplanes. He got married in 1948 to a woman named Katerine. English coached the Grand Rapids Chicks of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1952 until 1954 when the league folded. After coaching, he worked for State Farm Insurance until his retirement in 1971. On September 26, 1997, English died at Newark, Ohio, at the age of 91 and is buried in Fredonia Cemetery in Fredonia, Ohio.

Hack Wilson, Kiki Cuyler, Cliff Heathcote, and Woody English take cover in the Windy City (right before the second game of the 1929 World Series).**

Elwood English