Earl Lloyd, N.B.A.’s First Black Player, Dies at 86

Pat (Westmont, NJ)

He will be missed.

Tim Schum (Endwell, NY)

The recent passing of former NBA player Earl Lloyd raises an interesting question of who, in reality, were the League’s first legitimate African American players?

The NBA marked Lloyd’s death by noting that in 1951 he was the its first African American player to enter league play along with two other black players, Sweetwater Clifton and Chuck Cooper.
However, five years earlier in 1946-47, the fledgling National Basketball League (NBL) had signed five black players with "Pop" Gates and Dolly King announced as signing with the Rochester Royals while Willie King and Charles Perry signed with the Detroit Gems, and Bill Farrow joined the Youngstown Bears.
Of interest is the fact that while the NBA today traces more of its history to the then all-white Basketball Association of America, the NBA does recognize the Rochester Royals as the predecessor of today’s Sacramento Kings franchise.
So the question arises: Why does the NBA recognize Lloyd and his 1951 cohorts as the league’s first black players when in fact, five years earlier, five other black players competed in a league that was one of its forerunners?
By the 1947-48 season King, Gates and the other three players were gone from the league. In 1948-49 the black Harlem Renaissance coached by Gates became the Dayton Rens as they bailed out a failing NBL Ohio franchise.
With deference to Lloyd, historical fact suggests that five other players should be correctly recognized by the NBA as having broken its color barrier.

GRL (New Mexico)

Indeed a ground breaking event when Lloyd took the floor and it is too sad that as a country we still haven't gotten over this matter of race. I had the privilege of working with Chuck Cooper in Pittsburgh in my first professional position out of grad school. Like Lloyd, he was a consummate professional and very, very caring individual. Cooper died several years ago after being a very involved public servant in the city city of Pittsburgh. Lloyd and Cooper were pioneers and heroes...too bad we have so few today.

Tim (Crossville TN)

I've had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Lloyd on several occasions at a local restaurant. He always showed nothing but the utmost politeness and kindness to those around him. My deepest condolences to his family.

dean (topanga)

It's a sad day when the Detroit Free Press has a better obituary than the Gray Lady, even if Earl Lloyd was involved with the Pistons.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2015/02/27/earl-lloyd-nba-...

even yahoo ran a better article.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/earl-lloyd--first-africa...

WAH (Vermont)

These guys were the pioneers....quietly putting up with abuse while just using their talent to prove that they belonged in the NBA. KUDOS TO THEM.

michjas (Phoenix)

The evolution of the NBA from exclusively white to black-dominated did not just happen. Bill Russell tells of an accepted practice where teams played a couple of blacks, at most, owing to an unspoken quota. Many who comment here reminisce about the days when teams passed more, which glorifies a style most closely -- though not exclusively -- associated with predominantly white teams. Innovations by blacks, like the crossover dribble, are attacked as palming by some fans, mostly white. Black playgound players like Connie Hawkins, met lots of resistance among white fans. Black coaches are still in the minority and tend to be viewed more as motivators than as X and O types. And the most important rule change in the game in the last half century was the introduction of the three point shot, which has created careers for a disproportionate number of white players.

dean (topanga)

in other words, what you're saying is those with more melanin are better at the running and jumping, whereas those with less have better jump shots. of course many former players of all skin colors lament the decline in basic fundamentals, the inability to nail mid-range jumpers or simply shoot a decent percentage from the charity stripe. of course dunks and alley oops are more likely to get the fans to jump out of their seats. but the 3 point shot has made the game more interesting on some level, teams trailing late in the game have a better chance to make for an exciting finish. of course Mr. Lloyd played in a vastly different era. Some players make more money in one minute of playing time than he probably earned in an entire season.
at least we've made progress in some areas. I wish some of these multi-millionaire athletes would be more vocal in encouraging fans to vote. they're looked up to as role models in ways NBA players never dreamed of when Earl got his start.

Dagwood (San Diego)

And, in related news, the last white NBA player announced his retirement.

David Ballantyne (Massachusetts)

I find your comment highly offensive.

Gordon (Strother)

I just had to laugh,
I saw the photograph.

bobw (winnipeg)

Thats pretty racist as well as being wrong.

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