You are insufficiently up to date. The original Oxford English Dictionary does not cover “English” in the billiards sense, but that is not surprising, since it is an American use first recorded in 1869. But the second Supplement has it, and I would suppose the second Edition does, too. The Supplement cites a story from the London Sunday Times of 5 April, 1959, in which it is said that an Englishman, coincidentally named English, so impressed the Yanks with his skillful applicaion of “side” that the practice became known by his name.
I cannot find “body English” in the Supplement, but I fancy it is derived from “English”, and not the other way around.
John W. Kennedy
“Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.”
– Charles Williams
Link to Mailbag Article: What’s the origin of “english,” the kind you put on a ball? --CKDext
[Note: This message has been edited by CKDextHavn]
[Note: This message has been edited by CKDextHavn]