John Henry Lloyd, known as the “Black Wagner”, was a professional baseball player who is widely considered to be one of the greatest shortstops of all time. He was one of the first African-Americans to play in the Negro Leagues and is often credited as the first great black shortstop in professional baseball.

Lloyd grew up in Florida and began his professional baseball career in 1911. He quickly established himself as one of the premier players of the era, earning the nickname “Black Wagner” due to his resemblance to the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop, Honus Wagner. He was renowned for his defensive skill and was especially adept at fielding ground balls and making accurate throws.

At the plate, Lloyd was a powerful hitter with an excellent batting average. During his career, he recorded over 2,600 hits, including 21 home runs. He also had an impressive stolen base total, stealing over 500 bases in his career.

Lloyd was also an excellent manager and was known for his ability to motivate his players to perform at their best. He won two championships as a manager and led several teams to the playoffs.

Lloyd was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 and is often referred to as one of the most influential African-American players in the history of baseball. He will always be remembered as a pioneer who opened the door for future generations of African-American players to showcase their talents in professional baseball.

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