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Earl Lloyd Facts & Worksheets

Earl Francis “Big Cat” Lloyd was the first African-American to play in an NBA game with the Washington Capitals in 1950.

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See the fact file below for more information on Big cat Earl or alternatively, you can download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. 

  • He was born on April 3, 1928, in Alexandria, Virginia.
  • Earl was raised by his parents in the Berg area of Alexandria.
  • His parents were Theodore Benjamin Lloyd and Daisy Mitchell Lloyd.
  • Earl’s mother influenced him to become a good student and an outstanding athlete at Lyles-Crouch Elementary School and Parker-Gray High School.
  • His coach, Louis Randolph Johnson, helped him enrol at West Virginia State University (WVSU).
  • With his speed and defensive skills, Earl led WVSU to two CIAA Conference and Tournament Championships in 1948 and 1949.
  • Earl was named All-Conference three times and was All-American twice, as highlighted by the Pittsburgh Courier in 1949 and 1950.
  • He graduated from WVSU with his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1950.

NBA Debut:

  • In 1950, Earl was the second black player to be drafted by an NBA team.
  • Chuck Cooper was chosen by the Boston Celtics a few picks before Earl’s selection by the Washington Capitals.
  • Nate Clifton, however, was the first African American to sign an NBA contract with the New York Knicks that summer.
  • But the Knicks and the Celtics didn’t start their seasons until November so the schedule resulted in Earl being the first black player to take to the court in an NBA game on October 31, 1950.
  • He scored six points in that game and was part of the starting five.
  • After seven games with the Capitals, Earl was drafted into the military and sent to Korea for two years.
  • When he returned to the United States, the Capitals had gone out of business, and so he went to play for the Syracuse Nationals (who later became the Philadelphia 76ers).
  • Together with Jim Tucker, they became the first African Americans to win an NBA title in 1955 with Dolph Schayes and the Syracuse Nationals.
  • That year, he averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds for Syracuse, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons four games to three in a seven game series for the NBA title.
  • He later joined the Detroit Pistons and closed his nine-season career with the team.
  • In 1970, he became the first full-time black head coach in the league with the Detroit Pistons and served the team for a year.
  • Earl then went on to work in the Detroit police department and counselled students in the city’s school system.
  • He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Earl Lloyd Worksheets

This bundle includes 11 ready-to-use Earl Lloyd worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about Earl Francis “Big Cat” Lloyd who was the first African-American to play in an NBA game with the Washington Capitals in 1950.

This download includes the following worksheets:

  • Earl Lloyd Facts
  • NBA Draft
  • Three Points
  • Starting Five
  • Team Up
  • Position
  • NBA Career
  • Acrostic
  • Equipment
  • Terms
  • Basketball Player

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Link will appear as Earl Lloyd Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 11, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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