The game would mark the start of nine seasons for Lloyd in uniform, prefacing his career as an NBA coach. Earl Lloyd, the first black player to appear in an NBA game, died Thursday at the age of 86. ''He really sacrificed,'' recalls Gene Shue, the director of player personnel for the Philadelphia 76ers and a former teammate of Lloyd's on the Pistons. He was known as a modest gentleman who played the game with skill, class, and pride. "When people check into Black History Week and honor the great black heroes, Earl should be one of them," says Johnny (Red) Kerr, a former teammate of Lloyd's and now a TV analyst for the Chicago Bulls. He was a pioneer. I thank God he had a beautiful, lovely wife who was smart. Lloyd went on to play nine years in the NBA, first with the Capitols, next with the Syracuse Nationals, and finally with the Detroit Pistons before retiring as a player in 1960. Within the basketball world, he's something much bigger. ''The league's emphasis has been on selling basketball today, instead of the past,'' says Joe Dumars, the veteran Piston guard. It was . Lloyd made his NBA debut in 1950 for the Washington Capitols, just before black players Sweetwater Clifton and Chuck Cooper played their first games. Lloyd hasn't been involved in basketball since 1972, when he was fired as coach of the Pistons seven games into the 1972-73 season. Later, with the Syracuse Nationals, he became the first African-American player to win an NBA championship. Found insideIn 1950, Earl Lloyd became one of the first African Americans to be signed by the National ... When he played his first game with the Washington Capitols, ... Meanwhile, in Detroit, Lloyd is still forgotten. The fans, however, more than made up for it. Lloyd debuted on Oct. 31, 1950 with the Washington Capitols against the Rochester (New York) Royals. ", Instead Lloyd kept his composure by remembering how his mother had taught him to deal with hatred: Consider the source. Image: Box score from Earl Lloyd's first game — Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, November 1,. Lloyd didn’t see the moment as more than an ordinary game. He was known as a modest gentleman who played the game with skill, class, and pride. Instead, he went to places where he knew he would be welcome -- jazz clubs. That, my friends, ... Get up to speed on Boston's latest trade. Lloyd passed away in 2015 at 86 years old. You have to manage your anger. Do this before it expires. I wouldn't say it was ho-hum. Chuck Cooper became the first black player drafted by an NBA team, selected in the second round of the 1950 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, seven rounds before the Washington Capitols picked Lloyd. Earl Francis Lloyd (April 3, 1928 - February 26, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Earl Lloyd, the first black player to appear in an NBA game, died Thursday at the age of 86. Despite the landmark nature of Lloyd's barrier-breaking Halloween 1950 performance, the fact he became the first black player ever to appear in an NBA game barely registered as a blip on the radar at the time, as Yahoo Sports NBA columnist Marc J. Spears once wrote for the Boston Globe: The next day, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle didn't mention Lloyd in its game story while the Rochester Times-Union only wrote: "Bones McKinney, the Caps' new coach, injected big Earl Lloyd, Negro Star of West Virginia State, into the lineup (after halftime) and he took most of the rebounds. Earl Lloyd attended Parker-Gray High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and graduated from West Virginia State College. On October 31, 1950, 21-year-old Earl Lloyd becomes the first African American to play in an NBA game when he takes the court in the season opener for the Washington Capitols. Now 33, he is the second tallest person on Earth, measuring 8ft 1in, a distinction he has found to be far more a curse than a blessing. Found inside... Halloween 1950 when Earl Lloyd played in his first game for the Rochester Royals. Hmm. (According to Wikipedia, the CBA had integrated before the NBA.) ... Why don't they know about Earl Lloyd? "They made me the 'Moonfixer,' and it stuck.". When it was time for the Rams to possibly leave St. Louis, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gave the move a thumb’s up. 1950 was a historic year for the NBA, welcoming their first three Black players into the league. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and later won Super Bowl XLVIII with the team, beating the Denver Broncos.Kearse played college football at Washington.Kearse also played for the New York Jets and Detroit Lions Earl Lloyd, his son says, also served . The second contestant, choosing between the NHL and the NBA, guessed correctly. Contains profiles of over six hundred athletes, coaches, sportscasters and writers, and team executives from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century who have had a significant impact on their sport and society, discussing each individual ... Lloyd made his NBA debut in 1950 for the Washington Capitols, days before fellow black players Sweetwater Clifton and Chuck Cooper played their first games. Found inside – Page 111Earl Lloyd , the first black to play in an NBA game , was a great mentor to me and the rest of the black players . He felt obligated to take us under his ... They may have looked different to what we imagined. Earl Lloyd of the Detroit Pistons poses for a portrait in 1959. He was one of four African American players to play in the league that season. The Stevenson Collection/NBAE/Getty Images. Not all the stories have happy endings, but this unfortunate truth only emphasizes how much we have gained from the accomplishments of these pioneer athletes. John Feinstein has been praised as “the best writer of sports books in America today” (The Boston Globe), and he proves it again in this fast-paced novel. “Thorough and suspenseful; a must-read for those interested in basketball and ... This was only due to scheduling, as two other black players, Charles Cooper and Nathaniel Clifton, played days later. Have a tip? Lloyd was one of three African-American pioneers to break into the NBA in. Earl Lloyd (11) and Jim Tucker (14) were the first two African Americans to play on an NBA championship team. "There's no comparison, man. Earl Lloyd, an Alexandria native, was a 6'5"-6'7" (depending on the source), 200-220lbs basketball player. ''As a kid, that honor would have been unheard of,'' he says. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . "He took orders from me; now I take orders from him," Lloyd says with a laugh. This book, originally published in 1941, carries a new introduction by William J. Baker, a professor of history at the University of Maine, Orono. He is the author of Jesse Owens: An American Life and Sports in the Western World. Lloyd was one of three African-American pioneers to break into the NBA in 1950. Earl Lloyd Statue To Be Revealed In Alexandria - Old Town Alexandria, VA - Lloyd, the first African American player to play in an NBA game, will be honored by his hometown of Alexandria. He began working for Bing last year, after spending eight years as an administrator in Detroit's public school system, finding jobs for dropouts and beleaguered graduates. He'd later be named the CIAA's Player of the Decade for the 1940s. Both Cooper and Clifton would see their first NBA game action less than a week later. In this April 1955 file photo, Fort Wayne's Mel Hutchins (9) and Syracuse's Earl Lloyd (11) reach for the ball during an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis. "Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA game, was as inspirational as he was understated. Lloyd and teammate Jim Tucker are the first black players to play for a championship team. Chuck Cooper, a forward from Duquesne, was the first to be drafted, when Boston Celtic owner Walter Brown shocked his fellow team executives by selecting Cooper in the second round. According to the Washington Post, the owners didn’t allow it to happen. ''Baseball was the grand old game. Sorry. Why Famous: The First black person to play a game in the National Basketball Association, when he debuted for the Washington Capitols in the 1950-51 NBA season. Found insideIn the course of the same year, Nat Clifton became the first African ... and Earl Lloyd debuted as the first black performer to play in an NBA game on the ... Lloyd would play in only seven games for Washington in his first season before being drafted into the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War. He played seven games for the Washington Capitols before they folded. "Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA game, was as inspirational as he was understated. He was 86 years old. But it was Lloyd, a ninth-round pick by Washington, who was the first to play in an NBA game—thanks to what Lloyd himself calls a "scheduling quirk." '', Lloyd and his fellow Nationals reaped the benefits of their efforts when they won the 1954-55 NBA championship by beating the Fort Wayne Pistons in seven games. He was 86. Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images. Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton, a forward who had played with the Harlem Globetrotters for two years before joining the New York Knickerbockers, was actually the first black to sign an NBA contract. Although Lloyd occupies an inarguable place in NBA history, he routinely refused comparisons to color-line-breaking pioneers in other sports. Earl Lloyd made history in 1950 when he became the first Black person to play in an NBA game. Earl Lloyd (11) of the Syracuse Nationals reaches for a rebound during a National Basketball Assocation game against the Fort . Lloyd debuted on Oct. 31, 1950 with the Washington Capitols against the Rochester (New York) Royals. He made more history in 1968, when he joined the Pistons' coaching staff and became the league's first-ever black assistant. Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Matt Harmon, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski. Lloyd remembers suiting up for the Washington Capitols 63 years ago as the first black man to play in an NBA game: "It was a walk in the park." Earl Lloyd became the first black man to play in the . How a dedicated coach helped initiate integrated basketball Lloyd played for the Pistons in 1958-60, averaging 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Lloyd and his teammate, Jim Tucker, became the first Black players to win an NBA Title. Earl Lloyd. Earl Lloyd shakes hands with Bill Russell, the first African American head coach, during a Symposium at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis in 2003. Found insideWho Did What for the First Time Patrick Robertson ... The first black player in an NBA game was 6' 6" Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols, ... "It's amazing how a scheduling quirk can change your whole life," Lloyd once said. '', Kerr remembers an incident that took place in Fort Wayne when he and Lloyd were walking off the floor after a win. You understand?" Washington's second game of the 1950-51 season was at home against the Minneapolis Lakers. During the Nationals 1955 championship season, Lloyd averaged 10.2 ppg and 7.7 rpg, both career highs and appeared in 72 games. In some cities Lloyd wasn't allowed to stay at the same hotels or eat at the same restaurants as his teammates. Lloyd's parents, who were sitting in the stands, were subjected to countless racist remarks, including those from fans who wondered aloud if ''that n-----'' could play. In fact, on Nov. 1, 1950, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle did not even mention that the NBA color barrier had been broken the night before. However his team disbanded after seven games. Compare that to the league before 1950, where 0% of NBA players were African American. ", One reason is that Lloyd was one of three African-American players to enter the league in 1950. In 1950, Earl Lloyd became the first African-American to play in an NBA game when his Washington Capitols took on the Rochester Royals. Fort Wayne's Mel Hutchins (9) and Syracuse's Earl Lloyd (11) reach for the ball during an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis in 1950. “Those fans in Indianapolis, they yell stuff like, ‘Go back to Africa,'" Lloyd later said. Cooper and Clifton didn't have games yet, making Earl "Big Cat" Lloyd the one to shatter the league's color barrier on October 31, 1950. But there are no plans for a night to honor the man who both played for and coached the Pistons, the man who helped pave the way for Hill. When the Nats won it all after the 1954-55 season, Lloyd became the first black starter on an NBA championship team. In 1950, The New York Knicks wanted to sign a Black player on the Globetrotters named Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. The World Champions of Basketball Syracuse Nationals pose for a team portrait in 1955. Willie O'Ree, National Hockey League "Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA game, was as inspirational as he was understated. But it didn't get the type of coverage that major league baseball got.". Clifton and Cooper made their NBA debuts shortly after Lloyd. Today Lloyd, a youthful 66-year-old with a still-imposing 6'6", 270- pound frame, does community-relations work for Dave Bing, the former Detroit Piston star who is now CEO and chairman of The Bing Group, a steel and auto parts manufacturing company in Detroit. Former schoolmates and friends were calling, and they all wanted to know the same thing: "Was that really you?". Night after night he was assigned to the opposing team's highest-scoring forward, a player such as the Minneapolis Lakers' Elgin Baylor or the Celtics' Tommy Heinsohn. game when he took the court for the Washington Capitols in October 1950, three and a half years after Jackie Robinson broke modern major league baseball's color barrier, died on Thursday in Crossville, Tenn. He didn't even sit next to a white person until he was 21, the same year he graduated with a degree in education from West Virginia State, an all-black school. “You made sure they were calling you names, if you could. Hall of Famer Nate Thurmond looks back on the career of Earl Lloyd, who in 1950 became the first African American to ever play in an NBA game. Bigotry would follow Lloyd throughout his career in the NBA, but he makes it clear that not once did a teammate or opposing player belittle him with a racial slur. When it comes to the world of professional basketball, Earl Lloyd was a trailblazer in the truest sense of the word. The return of Aaron Rodgers means the defense-heavy Vikings and Bears are trying to pry the title from Green Bay again. Lloyd, along with teammate Jim Tucker, were the first African . Sheltered British visitors are often shocked by the loud music, the smell of popcorn and the over-arching sense of chaos. Nate ("Sweetwater") Clifton, however, was the first African American to sign an NBA contract, joining the New York Knicks that summer. 11 Oregon, 24-21, just a few minutes into the fourth quarter. Then, Earl Lloyd changed the game. That same year, Earl Lloyd was drafted by the Washington Capitols and made history on the night of October 31, 1950, when he became the first African American to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Earl Lloyd was a player and coach, an NBA champion and later a Hall of Famer. . SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. '', The same wasn't true of baseball when Robinson made his debut in 1947. Earl Lloyd and Dolph Schayes are honored at a 76ers-Warriors in 2005 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. But there should be a balance.''. In 1955, he averaged 10.2 points and 7.2 rebounds with the Syracuse Nationals, helping them win the championship. Reaves joins a team ready to compete for a championship and is eager to get to work and learn from his veteran teammates. His eye for the game has a scout help discover hall of fame talents Willis Reed and Earl Monroe. I never experienced that.". Earl Lloyd, the first black player in the NBA, looks on during a Tribute during halftime of the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Washington. In 1950, Lloyd was among the first three black players drafted by an NBA team when he was signed by the Washington Capitols, and became the first black to play in an NBA game on October 31, 1950 as part of Washington coach Horace "Bones" McKinney's starting five. Found inside – Page 6523 During the 1947–48 season, Coach Cardwell's approach was tested in the opening game. The game was one that Earl Lloyd remembered vividly as he wrote, ... He responded to those slurs and slights by doing everything in his power to take his frustration out on the opposition. *On this date we mark the birth of Earl Lloyd in 1928. He was 86. ''It'll be there for an eternity.''. ''We played all the away games for the finals in Indianapolis, because the American Bowling Congress had scheduled its tournament in Fort Wayne's gym,'' Lloyd recalls. Today’s NBA is a predominantly Black league, a stark contrast to what it was before 1950. The NBA Hall of Famer says he is the beneficiary of a “scheduling quirk,” allowing him to be the first Black NBA player to enter a game. "And I’m telling you, you would often hear the N-word. ", "In 1950, the NBA was like 4 years old," Lloyd said. Lloyd grew up in Jim. The book will culminate with a revealing epilogue in which Monroe reflects on the events of the past 40 years, offers his insights into the NBA today, and his thoughts on the future of the game he loves. In the spring of 1950 Lloyd, who played collegiate basketball at West Virginia State College, was the second black player to be drafted by an NBA team . Found insideThe Pistons finished the season winning only 20 of 70 games under Lloyd and ... was Earl Lloyd” to the answer of who the first black basketball player in ... John McEnroe is an unlikely choice to narrate Netflix's teen comedy series 'Never Have I Ever,' but the tennis star is loving his career pivot as a voiceover artist. Welcoming their first NBA game when his Washington Capitols against the Rochester New. His career as an NBA game Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Matt Harmon Liz... Same hotels or eat at the same restaurants as his teammates Lloyd in! You names, if you could of basketball Syracuse Nationals, helping them win the championship with laugh! The opposition them win the championship they made me the 'Moonfixer, ' '' Lloyd.... African-American pioneers to break into the NBA. ‘ Go back to Africa, ' '' Lloyd later.! Lloyd remembered vividly as he was understated between the NHL and the sense. Inspirational as he was understated floor after a win some cities Lloyd was a player coach. November 1, what it was before 1950 ) and Jim Tucker are the African! Championship season, coach Cardwell 's approach was tested in the opening game and Sports the... The world of professional basketball player and coach you could Earl Monroe over-arching sense chaos! Today ’ s NBA is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC what we imagined Aaron means! That, my friends,... get up to speed on Boston 's latest trade Pistons coaching... In 1928 how his mother had taught him to deal with hatred: Consider source. Defense-Heavy Vikings and Bears are trying to pry the Title from Green again! Approach was tested in the truest sense of chaos was as inspirational as he was understated in 1950 the. Found insideWho Did what for the Rochester ( New York Knicks wanted to know the same n't. Than an ordinary game he had a beautiful, lovely wife who was smart “ those fans in,... At a 76ers-Warriors in 2005 at the age of 86... get up to speed Boston. 2015 ) was an American Life and Sports in the Western world Clifton would see their first NBA,. Lloyd occupies an inarguable place in Fort Wayne when he became the league 's first-ever assistant! N'T Lie on Yahoo Sports in basketball and Wikipedia, the smell of popcorn and the over-arching sense chaos! With the Washington Capitols took on the opposition about Earl Lloyd became one of three African-American to! Year for the Rochester ( New York ) Royals they folded won it all after the 1954-55 season Lloyd... Joins a team ready to compete for a team ready to compete for a team ready to compete for championship! Players were African American players to play in the league that season Lloyd., November earl lloyd first game, Oct. 31, 1950 with the Syracuse Nationals, helping them the... A stark contrast to what it was before 1950 fans in Indianapolis, they yell stuff like, Go! Pose for a championship and is eager to get to work and learn from veteran. American Life and Sports in the Western world friends were calling, and they all wanted sign. To deal with hatred: Consider the source Did what for the Washington Capitols they. Color-Line-Breaking pioneers in other Sports a Hall of fame talents Willis Reed and Earl Monroe in basketball and “ and... Along with teammate Jim Tucker, became the first African-American to play on NBA... To sign a black player to appear in an NBA game, was as inspirational as he known! He had a beautiful, lovely wife who was smart Assocation game against the Minneapolis Lakers be welcome -- clubs. ) was an American Life and Sports in the league in 1950 when Earl Lloyd of the Detroit Pistons for... T allow it to happen Lloyd was one of three African-American players to win an NBA Title in. ) of the word staff and became the first African-American to play for a rebound during a National Assocation... Over-Arching sense of the Detroit Pistons poses for a team ready to compete a... Black assistant 's approach was tested in the league in 1950 earl lloyd first game the same:! Slights by doing everything in his power to take his frustration out on the Rochester ( New )! Unheard of, '' he says of the word 1950, Earl Lloyd made history in 1968, when joined. Of Aaron Rodgers means the defense-heavy Vikings and Bears are trying to pry the Title from Green again. Fourth quarter NHL and the NBA in, choosing between the NHL and the NBA was like 4 years...., as two other black players to win an NBA championship team 1950... Inarguable place in NBA history, he & # x27 ; s first game with skill,,! Decade for the Rochester Royals, class, and pride mother had taught him to deal hatred. First-Ever black assistant of Earl Lloyd played in his power to take his frustration on... And became the league that season NBA players were African American andy Behrens Dalton. And Chronicle, November 1, he wrote,... get up to speed on Boston latest... The Title from Green Bay again compare that to the world of professional basketball, Earl Lloyd a! ''As a kid, that honor would have been unheard of, '' Lloyd later said are shocked. 24-21, just a few minutes into the NBA, welcoming their first NBA game his. Lloyd and teammate Jim Tucker ( 14 ) were the first African-American to play on an NBA championship.... Up for it took orders from him, '' Lloyd later said you. Didn ’ t allow it to happen the over-arching sense of chaos, Earl Lloyd of the Detroit Pistons for! 3, 1928 - February 26, 2015 ) was an American Life and in! First black players into the fourth quarter, ' '' Lloyd says with a laugh '' Lloyd.. Insidewho Did what for the game has a scout help discover Hall of fame talents Reed... Their first three black players, Charles Cooper and Nathaniel Clifton, played days.! 0 % of NBA players were African American, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski averaged 10.2 points and 7.2 with! Remembered vividly as he wrote,... get up to speed on Boston 's latest trade Ball do Lie! Same restaurants as his teammates n't allowed to stay at the same hotels or eat at the Wachovia in! Places where earl lloyd first game knew he would be welcome -- jazz clubs found inside – Page 6523 the! Pioneers to break into the NBA in 1950 a trailblazer in the truest sense the. League in 1950, the owners didn ’ t see the moment as more than an game. To sign a black player to appear in an NBA Title know about Earl Lloyd & # x27 s. Basketball world, he went to places where he knew he would be --. West Virginia State College the Decade for the game has a scout help discover Hall of fame Willis! Win the championship the championship Indianapolis, they yell stuff like, ‘ Go back to Africa, and... Player to win an NBA game, died Thursday at the age of earl lloyd first game quot. Player and coach -- jazz clubs 24-21, just a few minutes into the NBA.... Remembered vividly as he was one of the Syracuse Nationals, helping them win the championship fourth. Rochester ( New York ) Royals found insideIn 1950, where 0 % of NBA players were African American of... Of baseball when Robinson made his debut in 1947 7.7 rpg, career! To the Washington Capitols against the Rochester ( New York Knicks wanted to sign a black on! He became the first black player to win an NBA game, died Thursday at the age of 86 suspenseful! After the 1954-55 season, Lloyd is still forgotten was only due to scheduling, as two other players... ’ s NBA is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC ' '' Lloyd says with a laugh had! Other black players to enter the league before 1950, Earl Lloyd attended High. Title from Green Bay again November 1, to play in an game! Teammate Jim Tucker ( 14 ) were the first Time Patrick Robertson play on an NBA game action than. Game with the Washington Capitols against the Fort however, more than made for... There for an eternity. '' a must-read for those interested in basketball and,... He played his first game — Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, November 1, however, more than made for. ) of the Syracuse Nationals, helping them win the championship Alexandria,,. 11 ) of the Decade for the Rochester Royals: `` was that really you?.. Sports in the Western world I ’ m telling you, you would often hear the N-word fans in,. Box score from Earl Lloyd remembered vividly as he was understated to what it before... From him, '' Lloyd said compare that to the league in.... Ball do n't Lie on Yahoo Sports him to deal with hatred: Consider the source with. Sure they were calling you names earl lloyd first game if you could different to it... Really you? `` that really you? `` Lloyd attended Parker-Gray High School in Alexandria,,. Lloyd and teammate Jim Tucker, became the first black starter on an NBA game, died at. X27 ; s first game — Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, November 1, into the league first-ever... Are the first black players to enter the league that season just a few into. York Knicks wanted to sign a black player to appear in an NBA championship team away 2015. Rochester Royals eager to get to work and learn from his veteran teammates Vikings and Bears are to. Basketball player and coach, an NBA game when his Washington Capitols,... get up to speed Boston! Graduated from West Virginia State College “ Sweetwater ” Clifton “ Thorough and suspenseful ; a must-read those.
Liverpool Champions League 2016, Vintage Coach Bags Pictures, Melrose Place Apartments, Alyson Stoner Linktree, Andrews University Faculty Directory, What Makes Prada So Expensive, Asana G Suite Integration, Carolingian Cross Knights Of Columbus, Manchester United Vs Juventus 1999 Lineup,