Woody English
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1927-1938)
Woody English was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1927 to 1938 for the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers, a span of 12 seasons. In 1,261 career games, he hit .286 with 1,356 hits, 32 home runs, and 422 RBI. Woody English was an All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 2,306.
- 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
- Position
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 155 lb
- Died
- 9/26/1997 in Newark, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1927-04-26
- Last Game
- 1938-07-01
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Elwood George English
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,261 | 4,746 | 801 | 1,356 | 236 | 52 | 32 | 422 | 57 | 571 | 536 | .286 | .366 | .378 | .743 | 2,306 |
Career AVG .286 vs. league average .280 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .366 vs. league average .343 across their career seasons — +6.6% above league average.
Career SLG .378 vs. league average .399 across their career seasons — 5.3% below league average.
Career OPS .743 vs. league average .742 across their career seasons — near league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | CHN | NL | 87 | 334 | 46 | 97 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 16 | 26 | .290 | .282 (+3%) | .344 (-6%) | .392 (-7%) | .736 (-6%) | -380.2 |
| 1928 | CHN | NL | 116 | 475 | 68 | 142 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 4 | 30 | 28 | .299 | .280 (+6%) | .342 (avg) | .395 (-5%) | .737 (-3%) | -203.6 |
| 1929 | CHN | NL | 144 | 608 | 131 | 168 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 52 | 13 | 68 | 50 | .276 | .289 (-5%) | .353 (avg) | .415 (-18%) | .769 (-10%) | -899.3 |
| 1930 | CHN | NL | 156 | 638 | 152 | 214 | 36 | 17 | 14 | 59 | 3 | 100 | 72 | .335 | .293 (+14%) | .354 (+21%) | .429 (+19%) | .784 (+20%) | 3164.5 |
| 1931 | CHN | NL | 156 | 634 | 117 | 202 | 38 | 8 | 2 | 53 | 12 | 68 | 80 | .319 | .276 (+15%) | .338 (+16%) | .388 (+6%) | .726 (+11%) | 1618.0 |
| 1932 | CHN | NL | 127 | 522 | 70 | 142 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 5 | 55 | 73 | .272 | .275 (-1%) | .335 (+2%) | .391 (-8%) | .726 (-3%) | -182.4 |
| 1933 | CHN | NL | 105 | 398 | 54 | 104 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 41 | 5 | 53 | 44 | .261 | .270 (-3%) | .329 (+6%) | .377 (-9%) | .707 (-2%) | -23.4 |
| 1934 | CHN | NL | 109 | 421 | 65 | 117 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 6 | 48 | 65 | .278 | .278 (avg) | .340 (+4%) | .392 (-2%) | .733 (+1%) | 102.9 |
| 1935 | CHN | NL | 34 | 84 | 11 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 20 | 4 | .202 | .279 (-28%) | .342 (+7%) | .399 (-26%) | .742 (-10%) | -60.4 |
| 1936 | CHN | NL | 64 | 182 | 33 | 45 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 40 | 28 | .247 | .283 (-13%) | .349 (+13%) | .404 (-27%) | .753 (-8%) | -74.4 |
| 1937 | BRO | NL | 129 | 378 | 45 | 90 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 4 | 65 | 55 | .238 | .276 (-14%) | .342 (+2%) | .398 (-25%) | .740 (-12%) | -586.1 |
| 1938 | BRO | NL | 34 | 72 | 9 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 11 | .250 | .272 (-8%) | .341 (-2%) | .392 (-29%) | .734 (-17%) | -169.2 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 1,261 | 4,746 | 801 | 1,356 | 236 | 52 | 32 | 422 | 57 | 571 | 536 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 2,306 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1262 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 603 | 2250 | 411 | 652 | 13 | 192 | .290 |
| Away | 659 | 2496 | 391 | 703 | 19 | 234 | .282 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938-07-01 | BRO | NY1 | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-06-21 | BRO | PIT | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-06-17 | BRO | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938-06-15 | BRO | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938-06-08 | BRO | STL | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-06-01 | BRO | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-05-30 | BRO | PHI | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-05-30 | BRO | PHI | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938-05-29 | BRO | BSN | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-05-28 | BRO | BSN | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 22 | 0 | 39 | 51 | 6 | 8 |
| 3B | 400 | 0 | 391 | 734 | 38 | 58 |
| SS | 826 | 0 | 1693 | 2523 | 191 | 492 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | CHN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | CHN | SS | 84 | 0 | 177 | 281 | 29 | 47 |
| 1928 | CHN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | CHN | SS | 114 | 0 | 245 | 382 | 36 | 85 |
| 1929 | CHN | SS | 144 | 0 | 332 | 497 | 39 | 107 |
| 1930 | CHN | 3B | 83 | 0 | 83 | 135 | 6 | 19 |
| 1930 | CHN | SS | 78 | 0 | 173 | 251 | 16 | 57 |
| 1931 | CHN | 3B | 18 | 0 | 18 | 41 | 1 | 3 |
| 1931 | CHN | SS | 138 | 0 | 322 | 441 | 28 | 75 |
| 1932 | CHN | 3B | 93 | 0 | 96 | 173 | 12 | 13 |
| 1932 | CHN | SS | 38 | 0 | 66 | 102 | 8 | 17 |
| 1933 | CHN | 3B | 103 | 0 | 80 | 173 | 7 | 9 |
| 1933 | CHN | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934 | CHN | 2B | 7 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 4 |
| 1934 | CHN | 3B | 46 | 0 | 74 | 132 | 5 | 5 |
| 1934 | CHN | SS | 56 | 0 | 61 | 109 | 5 | 22 |
| 1935 | CHN | 3B | 16 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 5 | 2 |
| 1935 | CHN | SS | 12 | 0 | 21 | 29 | 1 | 4 |
| 1936 | CHN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936 | CHN | 3B | 17 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 1936 | CHN | SS | 42 | 0 | 75 | 127 | 5 | 27 |
| 1937 | BRO | 2B | 11 | 0 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 3 |
| 1937 | BRO | SS | 116 | 0 | 220 | 303 | 24 | 51 |
| 1938 | BRO | 2B | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938 | BRO | 3B | 21 | 0 | 16 | 30 | 2 | 4 |
| 1938 | BRO | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 23 |
| Third Base | 410 |
| Shortstop | 817 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 4th | 30.0 | 80 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Woody English (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Woody English: the record in brief
According to the bio, Woody English debuted on April 26, 1927 and played a final game on July 1, 1938. By club, English's seasons break down as the Chicago Cubs (1927 to 1936) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937 to 1938). Born on March 2, 1906, in Fredonia, OH, USA, English is listed as a shortstop and threw and hit right-handed. The bio gives 5 feet, 10 inches and 155 pounds. English's death is recorded on September 26, 1997, in Newark, OH, USA. English's full given name, per the bio, is Elwood George English.
English's career batting table shows 1,261 games, 4,746 at bats and 1,356 hits, a .286 average; the totals also include 32 home runs, 422 RBI, and 57 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .366 and .378 give English a career OPS of .743. Against a .280 league average for those years, English's .286 average was near the norm. No season beat the 14 home runs English hit in 1930. The hits column peaks at 214, in 1930.
Frequently Asked Questions about Woody English
- What years did Woody English play?
- Woody English played in Major League Baseball from 1927 to 1938.
- Was Woody English a pitcher?
- No. Woody English was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Woody English hit?
- Woody English hit 32 career home runs with 1,356 hits.
- What teams did Woody English play for?
- Woody English played for 2 teams: the Chicago Cubs (1927–1936) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937–1938).
- Did Woody English win an MVP award?
- No. Woody English did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Woody English win?
- Woody English was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Woody English's career stats?
- In 1,261 games, Woody English had 1,356 hits, 32 home runs, 422 RBI, 801 runs, and 57 stolen bases, with a .286 batting average.
- What position did Woody English play?
- Woody English played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Woody English and how much did he weigh?
- Woody English was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 155 pounds.
- How many home runs did Woody English hit each season?
- Woody English's home runs by season: 1 in 1927, 2 in 1928, 1 in 1929, 14 in 1930, 2 in 1931, 3 in 1932, 3 in 1933, 3 in 1934, 2 in 1935, 0 in 1936, 1 in 1937, and 0 in 1938. His most in one season was 14, in 1930.
- What was Woody English's career batting average?
- Woody English batted .286 over his career, with 1,356 hits in 4,746 at bats.
- How many RBI did Woody English have?
- Woody English drove in 422 runs in his career.
- Is Woody English in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Woody English has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Woody English make?
- Woody English was selected to 1 All-Star Game.