“That Ruffing is a wonder,” Hall of Fame slugger Jimmie Foxx once said. “Always in there winning that important game for you.”
Indeed, Charles “Red” Ruffing was the epitome of a big-game pitcher.
A key starter for seven pennant winners with the Yankees, Ruffing won seven of his nine decisions in World Series play. In his postseason career, Ruffing posted a 2.63 ERA and helped New York win championships in 1932, 1936-39 and 1941.
During the Yankees’ four consecutive title seasons from 1936-39, Ruffing won at least 20 games each year.
