Editing Red Ruffing (section)

==Early life==
Charles Herbert Ruffing was born on May 3, 1905, in [[Granville, Illinois]].<ref name=sabr/> He was one of five children of John and Frances Ruffing, who emigrated to the United States from Germany.<ref name=sabr>{{cite web|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/7111866b|title=Red Ruffing|first=Warren|last=Corbett|work=SABR Biography Project|publisher=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]|access-date=September 4, 2013|archive-date=May 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510152653/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/7111866b|url-status=live}}</ref> Ruffing was raised in [[Coalton, Illinois|Coalton]]<ref name=sabr/> and [[Nokomis, Illinois]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lib.niu.edu/2006/ih050622.html |title=Bases loaded: Nokomis second to none in baseball history |access-date=May 18, 2015 |archive-date=October 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019000802/http://www.lib.niu.edu/2006/ih050622.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He went to school in Nokomis.<ref name=sabr/> His father was a [[coal miner]], working in a mine in Coalton until he suffered a broken back. John became the superintendent of the mine, and also served as [[mayor]] of Coalton.<ref name=sabr/>

Red quit school at the age of 13 to work for his father in the mine, earning $3 per day (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3|1918}}}} in current dollar terms), working as a [[Railway coupling|coupler]]. Conditions in the mine were dangerous. Red's cousin, who also worked in the mine, died in an accident.<ref name=sabr/> He also played [[baseball]] as an [[outfielder]] and [[first baseman]] for the mine's company team,<ref name=sabr/><ref name=beer/> and for a [[semi-professional]] team in Nokomis.<ref name=reminisces/><ref name=rookie>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TzwgAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234,112175&dq=red-ruffing&hl=en|title=Red Ruffing: A 'Rookie' In Minors at Age 65|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|page=4–B|date=June 1, 1969|access-date=September 8, 2013}}</ref>

When Ruffing was 15 years old, he suffered an accident in the mine, where his left foot was crushed between two cars. Though the doctor was able to save his foot, Red lost four toes.<ref name=sabr/><ref name=beer/> He was supposed to begin his professional [[baseball]] career in the [[Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League]] that year, but he found himself unable to run as fast as he previously could.<ref name=beer/> [[Doc Bennett]], the [[manager (baseball)|manager]] of a nearby semi-professional team, suggested that Ruffing should try to continue pursuing a baseball career by becoming a [[pitcher]].<ref name=sabr/>