Bill Lloyd

William John Lloyd

Lloyd with James Naismith

Born:
December 16, 1915  
Brooklyn, NY 

Died:
December 24, 1972 
Akron, OH


Career
1936-37 St John's University (College)
1937-38 St John's University (College)
1938-39 St John's University (College)
1938-39 Akron Goodyear Wingfoots (Independent)
1939-40 Akron Goodyear Wingfoots (NBL)
1940-41 Akron Goodyear Wingfoots (NBL)
1941-42 Akron Collegians (Independent)
1942-43 Akron Goodyear (Independent)
1943-44 Akron Collegians (Independent)
1944-45 Rochester Guards (Independent)
1947-48 Akron Collegians (Independent)

Tough guy to track down. With links to Ohio and NYC, I checked 1940 census records of Akron, and 1930 of New York.

I find this William Lloyd in the 1930 Census, born c. 1916, in New York City. Son of William (born in UK) and Katherine (Kathryn). Brother of Albert.
This appears to be the family tombstone plot. William and Katherine's age matches up to the 1930 Census, and William Jr's fits, too. And being near Akron, it geographically makes sense that the family moved to Ohio. So who is Marie Helen on the gravestone? (1918-2010)?
This is William J Lloyd in Akron
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWG5-DBX
One thing that helps us identify this William Lloyd as being the player in question is this 1940 census record. One of the other lodgers on there is George H. Vocke. Howard Vocke was also an Akron player from St John's, so it stands to certainty the George H Vocke is Howard Vocke, and both he and Lloyd roomed together in Akron in 1940 while playing for the Wingfoots. Two identifications for the price of one
Back to Marie Helen. She is Marie Helen Scherer, William J's wife. They met in New York, move to Akron. All the pieces are beginning to fit.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ohio/obituary.aspx?n=m-helen-lloyd-scherer&pid=147520889

Complete birthdate here:
http://death-records.mooseroots.com/l/101363814/William-Lloyd


So here is the summary.
Lloyd was born to William and Kathryn Lloyd in New York. He grew up in New York, and attended St John's, where he was a star basketball player along with Gerard Bush and Howard Vocke. The three St John's alums teamed up to play with Akron for a few seasons. He worked in the tax accounting department at Goodyear before dying in Akron in 1972.
He married Marie Helen Scherer (1918-2010) and they had a son William "Biff" (dec.) and daughters Janice Scully and Joan Hummel. After Lloyd's death, his widow moved to Hilton Head, SC.



Oddly enough, most of this research and chasing would have been avoided with a membership to newspapers.com (unsolicited plug). Took me 30 seconds to find his obitauary and know almost everything about him.

Source:
Akron Beacon-Journal, December 25, 1972

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/l/lloydbi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=lloydbi01