With the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) basketball tournament set to tip off in Baltimore in several weeks, I’ve been dipping a bit into its history. Also wanted to take a deeper look at the professional debut of Earl Lloyd.
Star players from the league include Sam Jones (North Carolina Central), Earl “The Pearl” Monroe (Winston-Salem State), and Lloyd (West Virginia State). Legendary was Clarence “Big House” Gaines, who played for Morgan State and coached at Winston-Salem State from 1946-1993. He hoisted eight CIAA title trophies and led the Rams to the 1967 Division II title.
The tournament has touched a number of places including Greensboro, which kicked off an era (64-75) of “super crowds,” a long run (76-93) in Virginia, and a fifteen-year stretch (2006-2020) of hospitality in Charlotte.
The geographical integrity of the 13 teams, with the majority in Virginia and North Carolina, is worth something. And the accomplishments of some of those who played in the CIAA go beyond their statistics, titles, and honors. A simple walk down the street could find them dodging some awful facet of Jim Crow laws.
Of the tournament, which is vibrant as ever, Ebony magazine wrote:
“the tournament is more of a week long social event than just the games … a family reunion of sorts for many African-Americans.”
Getting its start in 1912, the CIAA became the most prestigious African American college athletic conference, one that stressed academics. These days, with Division I athletic programs looking more and more like professional ones, something good is to be seen with the CIAA steering clear of all that craziness.
In the 1940s, West Virginia State was one of the first of six black colleges to develop an aviation program (... and they recently announced the launch of their first doctorate degree program). The university is proud of its alumni, including Carter G. Woodson, Wendell Smith, Harriet Elizabeth Byrd, and Lloyd.
Lloyd (1928-2015) needs no introduction at West Virginia State or Alexandria. Three years after Jackie Robinson soared into history in 1947 by breaking the long-standing color line in major league baseball player (haven’t forgotten about you Moses Fleetwood Walker), Lloyd became the first African Americans to play in an NBA game.
Ron Thomas (“They Cleared the Lane: The NBA's Black Pioneers”) writes that Lloyd “grew up in the projects in a tough section of Alexandria in what he calls the cradle of segregation.” Running water, proper sewage, and a whole lot of other things came late to Petersburg, the name of that neighborhood.
After graduating from Parker Gray High School, Lloyd earned a scholarship to West Virginia State. Located about 400 miles west of Washington, the school traces its roots to 1891. Some of those aviation students became pilots and flew with the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
Lloyd is known for being the first African American to play in an NBA game, but he also led West Virginia State to three CIAA regular season titles, and two CIAA tournament championships between 46-50. Their record during his time there was 80-14.
The CIAA basketball tourney began in 1946. The championship was one of the earliest post-season tournaments in the US. For the first three seasons, it was held at Turner’s Arena at 14th and W Streets NW DC. The venue was a bandbox, but as authors point out, it was “all the conference could get as the venues in most Southern cities would not welcome a black-college tournament.”
Paul K. Williams (“Greater U Street”) adds that Turner’s (demolished 1965) was part of the thriving “Black Broadway” scene that fostered racial solidarity and self-sufficiency for African Americans in Washington.
1947-1948 was an exciting season for West Virginia State. The Yellow Jackets had Lloyd (6-7), Bob Wilson (6-4), and Clarence Clark (6’3). Those figures are not all that impressive now, but in their time the three loomed like giants. While at WVU, Lloyd earned the nickname, “Moon Fixer.” Later in the pros, they called him the “Big Cat.”
WVU finished as champs and 23-0. Some of the players felt they deserved to be called National Negro College Champions.
In 1950, Lloyd returned to Alexandria and Washington. He writes in his memoir that his expectations were to teach and coach after graduating. Playing for the Globetrotters was a possibility, but the color barrier had put the possibility of playing in the NBA out of his mind.
The reader of “Moonfixer: The Basketball Journey of Earl Lloyd,” will find that Lloyd talks about Horace “Bones” McKinney. His fame was earned mostly in North Carolina, but he served as player and then player-coach of the Washington Capitols basketball team in their five seasons (46-47 to 50-51).
In 1950, McKinney had his eye on Lloyd. The team played at Uline Arena. The new place (opened in 1941) north of Union Station was a concrete wonder with a 8,000 capacity. Red Auerbach had coached the team in their first three seasons (46-49), but had moved on. The Caps were inaugural members of the Basketball Association of America, founded for the 46-47 season. In 1949, the league merged with the National Basketball League to form the NBA.
In their four seasons at Uline, the Capitols had made the playoffs all four seasons, but some regular faces had moved on for the 50-51 season. More and more people were pouring into Washington, but attendance was spotty. McKinney liked what he saw in the 6-5 power forward. In May, Lloyd inked a contract with the Caps. The team then picked him in the draft, the ninth overall.
Washington began the season at Rochester. The Royals would win the NBA title that season. In front of 2,184, Lloyd made his debut at Rochester on Halloween night at Edgerton Park Arena. Its capacity was 4,200. Lloyd scored 6 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had 5 assists in his debut.
Press coverage did not capture the Civil Rights moment. The Washington Evening Star did note Lloyd was the first negro on the team. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle gave robust coverage, including a photo of game action. The Caps players seen were Maughan, Otten, and Gilmur. Their report said: “Among other rookies McKinney has Earl Lloyd, rugged Negro guard, who appears to be a find.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that Chuck Cooper, Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton and Lloyd were the three Negro stars in the NBA this season.
On November 8, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle wrote:
“The former West Virginia State star is one of the three Negroes making debuts in the National Basketball League this season. They are the only members of their race ever to play in basketball’s big league. The other two are Chuck Cooper of the Celtics and Nate Clifton of the New York Knickerbockers.”
The next night the team returned to Washington to play Indianapolis. What emotions Lloyd must have had in the home debut. After the first three years at Turner’s Arena (46 to 48), the CIAA tournament began a three-year run at Uline. Uline had kept a white’s only policy, but finally relented in 1948. Falls Church resident Edwin Henderson had led the fight to desegregate the arena, which still stands today.
Lloyd played there in the 48-49 CIAA tournament as a junior and 49-50 as a senior. Now he was back as a pro. He scored eight points in a 100-84 romp over Indianapolis.
Perhaps some fans cut out an illustration in the Washington Evening Star (November 1). It shows a circle of head shots of all the players on the team with McKinney in the middle. From the original Caps team in 46-47 were McKinney, Scolari, and Norlander. Bill Fuchs article did say that Lloyd was “the first Negro to play for Washington.”
Authors have dug deeper. Ron Thomas, author of “They Cleared the Lane, The NBA’s Black Pioneers,” documents Lloyd’s debut. His mother and father were at the game. He wore number 18. 1,625 fans attended, and about ten percent were blacks. The Caps had averaged about 3,000 when they had the good teams in the first four seasons. That was probably close to league average.
Lloyd played in only 7 games before he had to report to the Army. His last game was at Uline was against the New York Knickerbockers. The Capitols player poorly after he left the team.
Earl Lloyd went on to fame in the NBA, including playing, coaching, and scouting, and in 2003, he was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Forgotten is his glory days in the CIAA tournament and his landmark debut.
Baltimore, hope ya’ll have a fine time…
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