He threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).

Boles was 27 years old and hitting .337 with 18 home runs in the Double-A Texas League when the Giants recalled him in August 1962.

In the 1962 National League tie-breaker series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boles pinch-ran for Ed Bailey in the eighth inning of the second playoff game and scored the Giants' seventh and tying run in a game they eventually lost, 8–7.

During Boles' six years in Japanese baseball, he showcased his power hitting, with seasons of 26, 28 and 31 home runs.

He was an influential figure in uncovering the Black Mist Scandal matching-fixing scheme in professional baseball and in flat track motorcycle racing, which is a pair-mutuel betting sport in Japan.