[1] He began his professional baseball career at the age of 19 with the Chambersburg Maroons of the class D Blue Ridge League in 1916.

Boley was a good fielder, steady hitter, and member of the Baltimore Orioles team that won seven consecutive International League championships (1919–1925).

[3] It made manager Jack Dunn give Boley a high salary, similar to the average pay from Major League Baseball.

In 1930, Boley again led all American League shortstops with a .970 fielding percentage, while finishing fourth in assists and putouts.

[9] Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis vetoed the "try-him-and-buy-him" deal and ordered Boley to return to the Athletics.

[8] Mack commented of the veto "It seemed a shame for a player of Joe's years and ability... to sit on a bench when he might be playing regularly with some other club.

[6] Between his two stints between teams, Boley helped save the lives of five occupants of a burning car near Philadelphia and drove the injured to the hospital.

[7] Nicknamed "Silent Joe" for his quiet personality, Boley was named "the second least talkative player in the big leagues" by legendary Washington Post reporter Shirley Povich.