' ▁first ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁minor ▁le agues ▁was ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁when ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁C anton ▁Ter riers , ▁Boston ' s ▁affili ate ▁in ▁the ▁Class ▁C ▁Middle ▁Atlantic ▁League . ▁In ▁ 1 2 6 ▁games , ▁he ▁batt ed ▁. 2 9 4 , ▁while ▁hitting ▁ 1 0 ▁home ▁runs . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁from ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁through ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 5 ; ▁he ▁was ▁station ed ▁at ▁Rand olph ▁Field ▁in ▁Texas . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁Batt s ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁Lyn n ▁Red ▁So x ▁in ▁the ▁Class ▁B ▁New ▁England ▁League , ▁appearing ▁in ▁ 9 8 ▁games ▁and ▁batt ing ▁. 3 3 7 ▁with ▁ 1 2 ▁home ▁runs . ▁ ▁While ▁with ▁the ▁Lyn n ▁Red ▁So x , ▁Black ▁future ▁MP V ▁Don ▁New com be ▁re called ▁Batt s ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁" red ne ck ▁from ▁the ▁South ," ▁and ▁Batt s ▁thought ▁it ▁was ▁fun ny ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁old ▁rac ist ▁custom ▁of ▁rub bing ▁a ▁Neg ro ' s ▁head ▁for ▁good ▁luck . ▁▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁two ▁Boston ▁affili ates ; ▁the ▁Sc r anton ▁Red ▁So x ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁A ▁Eastern ▁League , ▁and ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Map le ▁Le af s ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁A AA ▁International ▁League . ▁He ▁only