Red Ruffing
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Charles Herbert "Red" Ruffing (May 3, 1904 - February 17, 1986) was a Major League Baseball pitcher most remembered for his time with the highly successful New York Yankees teams of the 1930s and 1940s.
Born in Granville, Illinois, Ruffing suffered the loss of four toes on his left foot in a freak mine accident as a youth. Subsequently transformed from an outfielder to a pitcher, Ruffing made his major league debut in 1924 with the Boston Red Sox, pitching without a decision over 23 innings of work. He saw regular playing time with the Sox over the next few years but had limited success. His best year, in terms of earned run performance, came in 1928, when he posted a respectable 3.89 ERA; however, he also received abysmal offensive support and consequently suffered 25 losses to only 10 wins.
Ruffing's career was renewed by a mid-season trade in 1930 which sent him to the New York Yankees. Buoyed by the offensive production of greats Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, he won 15 games after the trade despite a hefty 4.14 ERA. Ruffing eventually turned into an ace, winning 20 games or more four times in a row from 1936 to 1939, and striking out a league high 190 batters in 1932. He regularly contended for the ERA crown, twice posting ERAs under 3.00, and appeared in seven World Series, won six (1932, 1936 - 1939, 1941), and posted a 7-2 career post-season record with a 2.63 ERA.
After missing the 1942 and 1943 seasons due to the war, Ruffing was unable to regain his ace material upon returning in 1945. After moving to the Chicago White Sox in 1947, he retired. He finished his career with 273 wins, 225 losses, 1987 strikeouts and a 3.80 ERA. Ruffing was also an accomplished hitter, hitting 36 home runs and batting .269 in 1937 career at-bats.
Ruffing was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.
Related links
External links
- Baseball Hall of Fame (http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/ruffing_red.htm)
- Template:Baseball-reference
Categories: Baseball Hall of Fame | 1934 American League All-Stars | 1938 American League All-Stars | 1939 American League All-Stars | 1940 American League All-Stars | 1941 American League All-Stars | 1942 American League All-Stars | Boston Red Sox players | Chicago White Sox players | New York Yankees players | Major league pitchers | 1904 births | 1986 deaths