1961 Topps #236 Don Gile
About Don Gile
Gile opened 1961 on Boston's roster but got into only two games before May 17, when the Red Sox signed free agent Joe Ginsberg and optioned him to the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League. Playing mostly first base for manager Johnny Pesky, he led the Rainiers at .306 over 107 games with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs, and drew a $100 fine in June for bumping an umpire. Recalled in September, he played six games at first base and finished the year 5-for-18 (.278) in eight games, the highlight a second-inning home run off the Yankees' Whitey Ford on September 23. His 1961 Topps card, #236 with the Red Sox, belongs to the set's third series, and collectors treat it as his rookie card.
Donald Loren Gile was a 6-foot-6, 220-pound catcher and first baseman, nicknamed "Bear", who reached the majors with the Boston Red Sox for all or part of four seasons between 1959 and 1962. Born in Modesto, California, on April 19, 1935, he grew up in San Mateo, where his high school yearbook called him the team's power hitter, then batted .516 for the University of Arizona in 1954 and reached the College World Series with the Wildcats. Scout Tom Downey signed him for Boston in 1955 on a $4,000 bonus. His right-handed power had a New York columnist asking in print whether he was the next Jimmie Foxx, but Gile never pushed past the Red Sox depth in front of him and finished at .150 (18-for-120) with three home runs and nine RBIs in 58 games. Those three homers came in three different seasons, off three different pitchers from three different teams, and the third was the last swing of his major league career. He hit far better in the minors, leading the Eastern League with 23 home runs for Allentown in 1958, and played a final professional season in 1963. Gile died in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on March 5, 2021, at 85.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac (1) · Baseball Almanac (2)
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 303 | 2 | 29 | 143 | 79 | 23 | 19 | 8 | 0 |
| SGC | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-09-04. PSA counts are straight grades only; PSA half grades (PSA 1.5 among them) and qualified slabs are not included. SGC half grades fold down (8.5→8). Slabs of the two cards printed #463 are joined by description, never by number alone.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1961 Topps #236 card?
It is card #236 of the 587-card 1961 Topps Baseball set, picturing Don Gile of the Boston Red Sox.
Is 1961 Topps #236 a rookie card?
Yes - #236 is the 1961 Topps rookie card of Don Gile.
How many cards are in the 1961 Topps Baseball set?
587 cards, tracked as 596 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 589, but #426, #587 and #588 were never issued and two different cards were printed #463 - Jack Fisher and the Milwaukee Braves Team card, catalogued 463b - and eight cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, The Topps Archives, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.