{{Short description|NZ international rugby league player (1927–2016)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Distinguish|text=historian Ken Inglis or screenwriter Ken Englund}}{{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Ken English |fullname = Kenneth Hamilton English |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|01|09|df=y}} |birth_place = Gisborne, New Zealand |death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|02|24|1927|01|09|df=y}} |death_place = Masterton, New Zealand |height = |weight = |position = {{rlp|PR}} |club1 = St. George (WRL) |year1start = |year1end = |appearances1 = |tries1 = |goals1 = |fieldgoals1 = |points1 = |teamA = Wellington |yearAstart = |yearAend = |appearancesA = |triesA = |goalsA = |fieldgoalsA = |pointsA = |teamB = New Zealand |yearBstart = 1951 |yearBend = 52 |appearancesB = 1 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |new = yes |retired = yes |updated = 2 August 2012 |source = <ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/leslie-beehre/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}</ref> }}
'''Kenneth "Ken" Hamilton English''' (9 January 1927 – 24 February 2016) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s. He played at representative level for New Zealand, and Wellington, as a {{rlp|pr}}.<ref name="Roll of Honour at nzrl.co.nz">{{cite web|url=http://nzrl.co.nz/roll-of-honour.aspx |title=Roll of Honour at nzrl.co.nz |publisher=nzrl.co.nz |date=31 December 2011 |accessdate=1 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120714044737/http://nzrl.co.nz/roll-of-honour.aspx |archivedate=14 July 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Past Kiwis → E at nzrl.co.nz">{{cite web|url=http://nzrl.co.nz/past-kiwis/past-kiwis-caps-E.aspx|title=Past Kiwis → E at nzrl.co.nz|publisher=nzrl.co.nz|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130222234417/http://nzrl.co.nz/past-kiwis/past-kiwis-caps-E.aspx|archivedate=22 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Profile at nzleague.co.nz">{{cite web|url=http://www.nzleague.co.nz/pages/kiwis_players.php?player=328 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223153904/http://www.nzleague.co.nz/pages/kiwis_players.php?player=328 |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 February 2013 |title=Profile at nzleague.co.nz |publisher=nzleague.co.nz |date=31 December 2011 |accessdate=1 January 2012}}</ref>
==Playing career== A New Zealand Police officer, English switched codes from rugby union in the later 1940s, joining the St. George club in the Wellington Rugby League.
In 1947 English was part of the Wellington side that defeated the West Coast 11–4 to win the Northern Union Cup for the first time. In 1949 he was part of the Southern Provinces team that held the touring Australian side to 17–15.<ref name=wrl>[http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-4979-0-0-0&sID=253118 Team of the Century - Week 6] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108111935/http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-4979-0-0-0&sID=253118 |date=8 November 2012 }} ''Wellington Rugby League''</ref>
===International honours=== After a brilliant trial, English made his New Zealand national rugby league team debut against the 1951 touring French side. With teammate Johnny Dodd, English was selected on the 1951-1952 tour of Great Britain and France.<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org"/> He played in 14 games on the tour, scoring three tries, but never played another test match.<ref name=wrl/>
==Later years== English later served on the Wellington Rugby League board and was involved in acquiring Rugby League Park for Wellington. He was awarded life membership of both the Wellington Rugby League and the New Zealand Rugby League.<ref name="Death"/>
English died in Masterton<ref name="Death">{{cite web|url=http://www.nzrl.co.nz/fanzone/news/2016/2/rip-ken-english-kiwi-328/|title=RIP Ken English Kiwi 328|date=28 February 2016|website=|publisher=New Zealand Rugby League|accessdate=5 March 2016|first=Carey|last=Clements}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> on 24 February 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tributes.co.nz/ViewMyTribute.aspx?id=11330|title=In memory of Kenneth Hamilton English|date=|website=|publisher=Tributes Online|accessdate=5 March 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:English, Ken}} Category:1927 births Category:2016 deaths Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players Category:New Zealand police officers Category:New Zealand rugby league administrators Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:Place of birth missing Category:Rugby league players from Gisborne, New Zealand Category:Rugby league props Category:Rugby league second-rows Category:St. George Saints players Category:Wellington rugby league team players