Gene Woodling

Eugene Richard Woodling (August 16, 1922 – June 2, 2001) was an American professional baseball outfielder, coach, and scout who played in Major League Baseball between 1943 and 1962. Born in Akron, Ohio, where his father worked in a rubber factory, Woodling had his career interrupted by service in the United States Navy during the Second World War.

A left-handed batter known as a line drive hitter, Woodling was most prominently a member of the New York Yankees dynasty that won five consecutive World Series championships between 1949 and 1953. He batted over .300 five times during his 17-year career and posted a .318 average across his five World Series appearances. He also excelled defensively, leading American League outfielders in fielding or tying for the lead four times, and never made more than three errors in a season during his time with the Yankees.

Beyond the Yankees, Woodling played for the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, and the New York Mets in their 1962 expansion season. After his playing career ended, he served several major league teams as a coach and a scout. Woodling died on June 2, 2001.