Earl Lloyd facts for kids
Lloyd, (right) shakes hands with Walter E. Gaskin in January 2006
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 3, 1928 Alexandria, Virginia |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | February 26, 2015 (aged 86) Crossville, Tennessee |
| High school | Parker-Gray (Alexandria, Virginia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | West Virginia State (1946–1950) |
| NBA Draft | 1950 / Round: 9 / Pick: 100th overall |
| Selected by the Washington Capitols | |
| Pro career | 1950–1960 |
| Coaching career | 1971–1972 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1950–1951 | Washington Capitols |
| 1952–1958 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1958–1960 | Detroit Pistons |
| As coach: | |
| 1971–1972 | Detroit Pistons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 4,682 (8.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,609 (6.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 810 (1.4 apg) |
Earl Francis Lloyd (born April 3, 1928 – died February 26, 2015) was an amazing American basketball player and coach. He made history as the very first African American player to play a game in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This was a huge step forward for sports!
Lloyd was an All-American player at West Virginia State University. He helped his college team have a perfect season in 1948, winning every game. Later, as a professional player, Lloyd helped the Syracuse Nationals win the 1955 NBA Championship. Lloyd was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
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Earl Lloyd's Early Life
Earl Lloyd was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 3, 1928. His parents were Theodore Lloyd, Sr. and Daisy Lloyd. His father worked in the coal industry. His mother was a stay-at-home mom.
Even though he went to a segregated school, Earl was a standout high school player. He was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference three times. He also made the All-State Virginia Interscholastic Conference twice. Lloyd always thanked his family and teachers for helping him succeed.
He graduated from Parker–Grey High School in 1946. He played for Coach Louis Randolph Johnson there. Earl earned a scholarship to play basketball at West Virginia State University. His college team was called the Yellow Jackets. Because of his size, he was nicknamed "Moon Fixer." He was known for being a great defensive player.
College Basketball Career
Lloyd led West Virginia State to win two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference and Tournament Championships. These wins happened in 1948 and 1949. He was named All–Conference three times, from 1948 to 1950. He was also named All-American twice by the Pittsburgh Courier in 1949 and 1950.
In his senior year, he scored about 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds per game. He helped West Virginia State finish second in the CIAA Conference. In the 1947–48 season, his team had an amazing 30–0 record. They were the only undefeated team in the United States that year. Lloyd graduated in 1950 with a degree in physical education.
Making History in the NBA
In the 1950 NBA draft, Earl Lloyd was picked by the Washington Capitols. He was the 100th pick in the 9th round. People called him "The Big Cat." Lloyd was one of three black players who joined the NBA at the same time.
Because of how the team schedules worked out, Lloyd was the first to actually play in an NBA game. This historic moment happened on October 31, 1950, Halloween night. He scored six points in that game. This was one day before Chuck Cooper played for the Boston Celtics. It was four days before Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton played for the New York Knicks.
Lloyd played in over 560 games during his nine seasons. He was 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 225 pounds. He played only seven games for the Washington Capitols before the team closed down in 1951. After that, he joined the U.S. Army.
While he was serving in the military, the Syracuse Nationals picked him up. Lloyd served his country before returning to basketball in 1952. In the 1954-1955 season, Lloyd helped Syracuse win the 1955 NBA Championship. They beat the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 3. Lloyd and Jim Tucker became the first African Americans to play on an NBA championship team. Lloyd played six seasons with Syracuse and two with the Detroit Pistons before he retired in 1961.
Lloyd remembered facing racism in the early NBA years. He was sometimes refused service in places. Once, a fan even spit on him. But Lloyd said these tough moments only made him play harder. He said his teammates and opposing players were not racist towards him. About the fans, he said, “My philosophy was: If they weren’t calling you names, you weren’t doing nothing. If they’re calling you names, you were hurting them.”
Lloyd once said that basketball was not as famous as baseball in 1950. He felt his experience was different from Jackie Robinson's. Robinson faced a very tough environment, even with some teammates. In basketball, people were more used to seeing mixed college teams.
His Syracuse Coach Al Cervi called Lloyd an "unsung star." He said, "Anybody can score. Lloyd was an excellent defensive player. That was No. 1 on my roster.”
Over his NBA career, playing for the Washington Capitols, Syracuse Nationals, and Detroit Pistons, Earl averaged 8.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. He played in 560 games over nine seasons.
Coaching and Scouting Career
After his playing career, Earl Lloyd became a coach. In 1965, the Detroit Pistons wanted to hire him as their head coach. He became the first African American assistant coach. Then, for the 1971–72 season, he became the head coach. This made him the third African American head coach in the NBA. He coached the Pistons for a short time, with an overall record of 22 wins and 55 losses.
Lloyd also worked as a scout for the Pistons for five seasons. He helped the team find talented players like Bailey Howell, Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Ray Scott, and Wally Jones.
Earl Lloyd's Personal Life
After his basketball career, Lloyd worked in the Detroit public school system. He helped people find jobs in the 1970s and 1980s. He also created programs to teach job skills to kids who needed help.
In the 1990s, Lloyd worked as the Community Relations Director for a manufacturing company in Detroit.
Once, a young African American player thanked Lloyd for making it easier for black players in the future. Lloyd humbly replied that the player owed him nothing.
In 2007, the basketball court at T. C. Williams High School was named in his honor. Lloyd said, “You cannot understand what an honor this is. There’s no better honor than being validated by people who know you best. I will always, always treasure this.”
Earl Lloyd and his wife, Charlita, had three sons and four grandchildren. He lived in Fairfield Glade, Tennessee, until he passed away on February 26, 2015.
Honors and Legacy
Earl Lloyd received many honors for his contributions to basketball and society:
- In 1993, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
- He was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Hall of Fame in 1998.
- On February 9, 2001, the state of Virginia declared it "Earl Lloyd Day."
- In 2003, Lloyd was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- He was named to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Silver and Golden Anniversary Teams.
- In 2007, the new basketball court at T. C. Williams High School in his hometown was named after him.
- A book about his life, Moonfixer: The Basketball Journey of Earl Lloyd, was released in 2009.
- In 2012, Lloyd was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
- A statue of Earl Lloyd was unveiled at West Virginia State University in 2014. The "Earl Lloyd Classic" basketball event also began that year.
- In 2015, the Library of Virginia honored him as one of Virginia's "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History."
- In 2018, the road in front of the Walker Convocation Center at West Virginia State University was renamed "Earl Lloyd Way."
- In 2022, a street in Syracuse was named "Earl Lloyd Way."
Images for kids
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Lloyd, (right) shakes hands with Walter E. Gaskin in January 2006
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Lloyd, circa 1950
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In 2010, Lloyd meets Vice-President Joe Biden at the White House.
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- Race and ethnicity in the NBA
- List of African-American firsts
