Interesting comment. My Dad played a lot of minor league ball—did a few weeks in the bigs in 1940. Off to the war. Since this was 1945 did you ever inquire if this gent served his nation—as a draft was on beginning in the fall of 1940? Always curioius as to the mindset of those that did not serve—versus a Bob Feller/ Ted Williams. Would have been hard to look in the mirror-for some—although he may have served in some capacity.
My dad was in the Navy during the war. Won 99 games for them over the course of the war. Pitched against all the great players who also served.
According to Wikipedia, he was 4-F due to a hearing problem.