Lloyd is considered to be the greatest shortstop in Negro league history, and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.

The return to Jacksonville may have been prompted by a great fire that had damaged businesses and changed the overall economic situation in Palatka.

Sportswriters Harry Daniels and Jimmy Smith both named Lloyd to their 1909 "All American Team" saying he "is a wonder at fielding and hitting, also a fair base runner.

"[10] At various points in his baseball career, Lloyd worked non-baseball jobs due to the precarious financial situations of the black leagues.

Lloyd took over as player-manager for 1912 and 1913, and in the latter year the Lincolns defeated the Chicago American Giants in a playoff series to become the undisputed champions of black baseball.

In 1918, Lloyd served as player-manager of the Brooklyn Royal Giants, leaving the club early to work for the Army Quartermaster Depot in Chicago.

When the Eastern Colored League was formed in 1923, Ed Bolden hired Lloyd to manage the Hilldale Club.

Lloyd brought home the first ECL pennant by a wide margin, guiding Hilldale to a 32–17 league record.

Altogether he spent 12 seasons in the Cuban League from 1908/09 to 1930, batting .329 for his career, and playing on three championship teams (Habana in 1912 and Almendares in 1924/25 and 1925/26).

In Cuba he was called "El Cuchara", which translates to "The Shovel" or "The Tablespoon", a reference to his ability to field batted balls.

According to a study sponsored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame that covers the organized (post-1920) Negro leagues, Lloyd batted .343 with a .450 slugging percentage.

[15] Lloyd was a heavy hitter, usually batting cleanup during his prime, but also knew how to play "inside baseball" and was an expert place-hitter and bunter.