He appeared in a career-high 164 games for the Stars in 1941, though his batting average dropped to .235. The Pomona newspaper in 1941 summed up Hoover's path to success:A worker, Joe went into baseball the hard way, doing little talking, playing many positions, showing determination and love for the game. He hasn't set the world on fire with his hitting, but he improved his fielding to the extent that he's recognized as one of the best shortstops in the coast league. . . . Joe never was one of those 'naturals' you hear so much about. But he was endowed with a varied ability that kept him on squads because he could play many positions."