| Playing with Passion: Profiles of Negro League baseball players. |
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd
Position: Shortstop & Manager
Career: 1906 – 1932
orn in 1884, “Pop” Lloyd was one of the best ball players of his time. During his 26 year career, it was no surprise to his contemporaries that Pop Lloyd seemed always to play with a championship team. He was the best shortstop and top run producer of his era, and without a doubt, a major contributor to the success of each of the teams on which he played.
“Pop’s” career began in 1906 with the Cuban X Giants. Over the years, he played many championship seasons. In 1918, he became player manager of the Brooklyn Royal Giants but spent the next four years jumping from team to team until 1922 when he landed with the Hilldale Daisies. The following year he hit an amazing .418 leading Hilldale to its first pennant title. After his baseball career ended, Lloyd was a true volunteer civil servant and a tireless promoter of youth athletics in Atlantic City.
In 1949 Atlantic City recognized “Pop’s” life-long efforts and dedicated their public baseball facility as a monument to him. The annual John Henry “Pop” Lloyd Lecture and Humanitarian Awards are further evidence of Atlantic City’s love of Lloyd. These annual events are part of a weekend of festivities including a ball game played at Pop Stadium.
Pop Lloyd was elected to baseball’s highest honor, the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, twelve years after his death.
*Players' biographies are excerpted from copyrighted materials and used with permission of the Negro League Baseball Players Association (www.NLBPA.com)
