I knew there was a shortage of Ball watches after World War II, but I never knew there was a shortage after World War I, this advertisement in a May 1919 Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Convention Souvenir Program shows that there was.

W.C.B. Was certainly an experienced Pitchman. As evidenced by this ad which only means that he desired more orders to support his business of "manufacturing watches".
As there seems to be a considerable variation of production dates from the different "Ball Watch Factories", I expect this guy was really burning the candle at both ends a good deal of the time.