1972 in Michigan

Events from the year 1972 in Michigan.

The Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) each selected the top news stories in Michigan for 1972 as follows:[1][2]

  1. The court order issued by federal judge Stephen Roth requiring cross-district busing throughout metropolitan Detroit (AP-1, UPI-1);
  2. The beginning of the Michigan Lottery (AP-2, UPI-4);
  3. The defeat of Proposal B that would have amended the state constitution to liberalize Michigan's abortion law (AP-3, UPI-3);
  4. George Wallace's victory, attributed to the busing issue, in the 1972 Democratic Party Presidential primary with 51% of the vote (AP-4, UPI-2 [elections]);
  5. The defeat of a ballot proposal that would have changed Michigan's system of funding public education, placed a cap on property taxes, and provided for a graduated income tax (AP-6, UPI-7);
  6. Controversy concerning the Detroit Police Department's STRESS unit and a shootout between STRESS officers and off-duty Wayne County sheriff's deputies, resulting in the death of a deputy (AP-5, UPI-10);
  7. The U.S. Senate campaign in which incumbent Republican Robert P. Griffin defeated Democratic challenger Frank J. Kelley (AP-9, UPI-2 [elections];
  8. The skyjacking of an airliner by two Detroit residents, first to Detroit, then to Canada, and finally to Cuba (AP-10, UPI-9);
  9. A school funding crisis in Detroit after voters thrice rejected millage proposals (UPI-5)
  10. The automobile industry's record sales and profits and controversies over price increases, safety, and emission equipment (UPI-6);
  11. High winds that pushed water over the shoreline and resulted in six counties being declared federal disaster areas (AP-7);
  12. A collision near Port Huron that resulted in the sinking of the Sidney Smith in the St. Clair River, blocking the navigation channel (AP-8); and
  13. Michigan's meat law prohibiting use of udders, snouts, and spleen in making hot dogs and lunch meat was overturned by a federal court (UPI-8).

The AP and UPI also selected the state's top sports stories as follows:[3][4]

  1. The 1972 Detroit Tigers winning the American League East division championship with a record of 86–70, then losing to the Oakland Athletics in the American League Championship Series (AP-1 [ALCS], AP-2 [AL East championship], UPI-2);
  2. Duffy Daugherty's resignation after 19 years as head coach of the Michigan State Spartans football team and the hiring of Denny Stolz as his replacement (AP-3 [Daugherty], AP-5 [Stolz], UPI-1 [both]);
  3. Michigan Wolverines football, including the 1971 team's 13-12 loss to Stanford in the 1972 Rose Bowl and the 1972 team's 11-1 season and season-ending loss to Ohio State with Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler refusing to kick a game-tying field goal late in the game (AP-4 [OSU game], AP-9 [1972 Rose Bowl], UPI-3 [Rose Bowl and 1972 season]);
  4. Gary Player's victory at the 1972 PGA Championship held at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township (AP-6 [tie], UPI-8);
  5. Micki King's winning the gold medal in the springboard diving event at the 1972 Summer Olympics (AP-12, UPI-7);
  6. The induction of Gordie Howe into the Hockey Hall of Fame and son Mark Howe's becoming the only Michigan athlete to medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics (UPI-3);
  7. The 1972 Detroit Lions compiling an 8-5-1 record and failing to make the playoffs (UPI-5);
  8. The 1971–72 Detroit Red Wings' finishing in fifth place and failing to make the playoffs (UPI-6);
  9. The failure of a proposed domed stadium in downtown Detroit after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the proposed manner of selling bonds to finance the stadium was illegal (AP-6 [tie]);
  10. The hiring of Burt Smith as Michigan State University's athletic director (AP-6 [tie]);
  11. Ed Brinkman setting several Major League Baseball fielding records for shortstops (AP-9);
  12. Greg Landry's signing of a three-year contract with the Detroit Lions (AP-10 [tie]);
  13. The Detroit Tigers' purchase of Woodie Fryman in early August and his winning 10 games for the Tigers in August and September (AP-10 [tie]); and
  14. Michigan's high school basketball championships won by Flint Northern (Class A), River Rouge (Class B), Shelby (Class C), and Ewen-Trout Creek (Class D) (UPI-10).

Office holders

State office holders

Mayors of major cities

Mayor Gribbs

Federal office holders

Sen. Griffin
Sen. Hart

Population

In the 1970 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 8,875,083 persons, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1980, the state's population had grown 4.4% to 9,262,078 persons.

Cities

The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 70,000 based on 1970 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1960 and 1980 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1970
Rank
City County 1960 Pop. 1970 Pop. 1980 Pop. Change 1970-80
1DetroitWayne1,670,1441,514,0631,203,368−20.5% Decrease
2Grand RapidsKent177,313197,649181,843−8.0% Decrease
3FlintGenesee196,940193,317159,611−17.4% Decrease
4WarrenMacomb89,246179,260161,134−10.1% Decrease
5LansingIngham107,807131,403130,414−0.8% Decrease
6LivoniaWayne66,702110,109104,814−4.8% Decrease
7DearbornWayne112,007104,19990,660−13.0% Decrease
8Ann ArborWashtenaw67,340100,035107,9697.9% Increase
9SaginawSaginaw98,26591,84977,508−15.6% Decrease
10St. Clair ShoresMacomb76,65788,09376,210−13.5% Decrease
11WestlandWayne60,74386,74984,603−2.5% Decrease
12Royal OakOakland80,61286,23870,893−17.8% Decrease
13KalamazooKalamazoo82,08985,55579,722−6.8% Decrease
14PontiacOakland82,23385,27976,715−10.0% Decrease
15Dearborn HeightsWayne61,11880,06967,706−15.4% Decrease
16TaylorWaynena70,02077,56810.8% Increase

Counties

The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 120,000 based on 1970 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1960 and 1980 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Counties that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1970
Rank
County Largest city 1960 Pop. 1970 Pop. 1980 Pop. Change 1970-80
1WayneDetroit2,666,2972,666,7512,337,891−12.3% Decrease
2OaklandPontiac690,259907,8711,011,79311.4% Increase
3MacombWarren405,804625,309694,60011.1% Increase
4GeneseeFlint374,313444,341450,4491.4% Increase
5KentGrand Rapids363,187411,044444,5068.1% Increase
6InghamLansing211,296261,039275,5205.5% Increase
7WashtenawAnn Arbor172,440234,103264,74813.1% Increase
8SaginawSaginaw190,752219,743228,0593.8% Increase
9KalamazooKalamazoo169,712201,550212,3785.4% Increase
10BerrienBenton Harbor149,865163,875171,2764.5% Increase
11MuskegonMuskegon129,943157,426157,5890.1% Increase
12JacksonJackson131,994143,274151,4955.7% Increase
13CalhounBattle Creek138,858141,963141,557−0.3% Decrease
14OttawaHolland98,719128,181157,17422.6% Increase
15St. ClairPort Huron107,201120,175138,80215.5% Increase
16MonroeMonroe101,120118,479134,65913.7% Increase
17BayBay City107,042117,339119,8812.2% Increase

Sports

Baseball

American football

Basketball

Ice hockey

Golf

Boat racing

Other

Music

The following albums by Michigan artists were released in 1972:

Chronology of events

Births

Deaths

See also

References

  1. "School Desegregation Top State Story In '72". Escanaba Daily Press (AP story). December 27, 1972. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Michigan's Top 10 News Stories of '72". Ludington Daily News (UPI story). December 29, 1972. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Tiger pennant bid rated top Michigan sports story of 1972". Traverse City Record-Eagle (AP story). December 28, 1972. p. 14 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Daugherty's Resignation Is Top 1972 Sports Story in Michigan". Ironwood Daily Globe (UPI story). December 29, 1972. p. 5 via Newspapers.com.
  5. Riegle switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in 1973.
  6. "1972 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  7. "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 78. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  8. "1972 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  9. "1972 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  10. "1972 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  11. "1971–72 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  12. "1971–72 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  13. "1971–72 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  14. "1971–72 Detroit Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  15. "1971–72 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  16. "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  17. "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  18. "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  19. "Lyman Frimodig Dies; Connected With MSU Athletics for 50 Years". Lansing State Journal. May 7, 1972. p. B1 via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Van Alstyne, Ex-Spartan Coach, Dies". Lansing State Journal. August 9, 1972. p. C1 via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Death Takes Famed U-M Grid Coach Harry Kipke". The Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan). September 14, 1972. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
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