LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Earl Lloyd, an outstanding
athlete and basketball icon, and recognizing the significance of his
life accomplishments

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge and pay
tribute to those esteemed individuals within the State of New York who
distinguished themselves through outstanding achievements in national
athletic competition; and
WHEREAS, Earl Lloyd, born April 3, 1928, in Alexandria, Virginia, died
on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at the age of 86; and
WHEREAS, Raised amid rigid segregation, Earl Lloyd was a standout
basketball player on some dominant teams at the historically black West
Virginia State; a true pioneer, he became the first African-American
player to appear in a National Basketball Association (NBA) game; and
WHEREAS, On the evening of October 31, 1950, Earl Lloyd, a rugged
six-foot-six, 220-pound forward, made his debut when the Washington
Capitols opened their season on the road against the Rochester Royals at
Edgerton Park Arena; he scored six points and pulled down a game-high 10
rebounds; and
WHEREAS, Earl Lloyd left the Capitols to honorably serve in the United
States Army; he rejoined the league in 1952 with the Syracuse Nationals
and became part of the city's extraordinary basketball heritage; and
WHEREAS, During this time, Earl Lloyd, a strong rebounder and tena-
cious on defense, along with fellow forward Jim Tucker, became the first
two black players on an NBA championship team in 1955; he remained with
the Nationals until he was traded to Detroit in 1957; and
WHEREAS, Earl Lloyd's illustrious NBA career spanned nine seasons,
during which time he averaged 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds; he was named
the Detroit Pistons' Head Coach in 1971, becoming the fourth black head
coach in NBA history; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, he later held an executive position with Chrys-
ler, supervised youth leagues for the Detroit Police Department and
counseled students in the city's school system; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Earl Lloyd was inducted into the Basketball Hall of
Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts for his contributions in breaking the
NBA racial barrier; and
WHEREAS, Earl Lloyd is survived by his loving wife, Charlita; his
sons, Kenneth, Kevin and David; and four beautiful grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of
compassion, and comforted by a loving family, Earl Lloyd leaves behind a
legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a
comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Earl Lloyd, an outstanding athlete and basketball
icon, and recognize the significance of his life accomplishments; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Earl Lloyd.