He also believes that Chuck Cooper never received the accolades he so richly deserved. Mr. Lloyd has never compared his journey into the NBA with Jackie Robinson s journey into Major League Baseball. We must remember baseball was America s first love. Sounds more like the 18th century instead of the 20th century. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
Old prejudices seem to die hard in America.
Mr. Lloyd remembers several instances of racism when he traveled around the league during his NBA career. The story he most likes to tell friends is about the night his mother came to see him play in his first game, at home, during that 1950 season. Mrs. Lloyd was sitting in the stands as proud as a peacock to see her baby boy do his thing. She never heard another word. After several baskets by her son, she turned to smile her approval, but the two bigots had disappeared.