1933 Goudey #56 Red Ruffing
About Red Ruffing
Charles Herbert "Red" Ruffing was born May 3, 1905, in Granville, Illinois, to German immigrant parents; the nickname came from his hair color. At 15 he lost four toes on his left foot in a coal-mine accident, which pushed him toward pitching over running. He signed his first pro contract at 18 with Danville and reached the Boston Red Sox in 1924, enduring five losing seasons with the last-place club (39-96), including a league-worst 25 losses in 1928. Traded to the Yankees in May 1930 for Cedric Durst and $50,000, Ruffing became an ace, winning 20-plus games four straight years (1936-1939) and helping New York to seven pennants. A six-time All-Star, he went 7-2 in World Series play with a 2.63 ERA, his seven Series wins a record until Whitey Ford broke it in 1961. He finished 273-225 with a 3.80 ERA and 1,987 strikeouts over 22 seasons. Drafted into the Army at 37 despite his missing toes, he returned in 1945 and posted a 2.89 ERA at age 40. Ruffing was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1967, his final year of eligibility, via a runoff vote.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 512 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 20 | 34 | 50 | 373 | 7 |
| SGC | 293 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 31 | 235 | 15 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-03. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1933 Goudey Red Ruffing card?
It is card #56 of the 1933 Goudey (R319) Baseball set - the 240-card, 2-3/8 by 2-7/8 inch color-art set issued in 1933 with Big League Chewing Gum. It pictures Red Ruffing with the New York Yankees.
Is the 1933 Goudey Red Ruffing #56 a rookie card?
By modern catalog convention, yes. 1933 Goudey is treated as the hobby's first major nationally distributed gum set, so nearly every card in it carries the rookie-card (RC) designation - a modern label applied retroactively, since many of these players had earlier tobacco, caramel, or strip cards.
How many cards are in the 1933 Goudey set?
240 numbered cards, though collectors usually count 241 collectible cards because #6 Jimmy Dykes exists in an error and a corrected version. Only 239 numbers were in 1933 packs - #106 (Nap Lajoie) was printed in 1934 and issued by mail.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.