1953 in Michigan

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Events from the year 1953 in Michigan.

Top stories[]

The Associated Press polled editors of its member newspapers in Michigan and ranked the state's top news stories of 1953 as follows:[1]

  1. The June 8 Flint–Beecher tornado resulting in 116 fatalities and tornadoes in Port Huron, and Monroe areas (385 points)
  2. The $40-million August 12 fire that destroyed General Motors' transmission plant in Livonia[2] (290 points)
  3. Return of Michigan POWs from Korean War (225 points)
  4. The November 30 deaths of former Governor Kim Sigler and three others in the crash of a Beechcraft Bonanza airplane, piloted by Sigler, that hit a 540-foot TV tower near Battle Creek (217 points)
  5. 1953 Michigan State Spartans football team wins Big Ten championship and invitation to play in 1953 Rose Bowl (153 points)
  6. The May 11 sinking of the ore carrier SS Henry Steinbrenner in a Lake Superior storm (129 points)
  7. Passage of a controversial business receipts tax by the Michigan Legislature (125 points)
  8. Controversy over bingo games sponsored by churches, charities, and veterans group in violation of state law (107 points)
  9. The May 22 escape of seven inmates from the Marquette Branch Prison (80 points)
  10. Laying of two pipelines under the Straits of Mackinac (75 points)

Voting on the top stories ended before the 1953 Detroit Lions won the 1953 NFL Championship Game on December 27.[1]

Office holders[]

State office holders[]

Gov. G. Mennen Williams

Mayors of major cities[]

Sen. Homer Ferguson
Sen. Charles Potter

Federal office holders[]

  • U.S. Senator from Michigan: Homer S. Ferguson (Republican)
  • U.S. Senator from Michigan: Charles E. Potter (Republican)
  • House District 1: Thaddeus M. Machrowicz (Democrat)
  • House District 2: George Meader (Republican)
  • House District 3: Paul W. Shafer (Republican)
  • House District 4: Clare Hoffman (Republican)
  • House District 5: Gerald Ford (Republican)
  • House District 6: Kit Clardy (Republican)
  • House District 7: Jesse P. Wolcott (Republican)
  • House District 8: Alvin Morell Bentley (Republican)
  • House District 9: Ruth Thompson (Republican)
  • House District 10: Elford Albin Cederberg (Republican)
  • House District 11: Victor A. Knox (Republican)
  • House District 12: John B. Bennett (Republican)
  • House District 13: George D. O'Brien (Democrat)
  • House District 14: Louis C. Rabaut (Democrat)
  • House District 15: John Dingell Sr. (Democrat)
  • House District 16: John Lesinski Jr. (Democrat)
  • House District 17: Charles G. Oakman (Republican)
  • House District 18: George Anthony Dondero (Republican)

Population[]

In the 1950 United States Census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 6,421,000 persons, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1960, the state's population had grown 22.8% to 7,823,194 persons.

Cities[]

The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 40,000 based on 1950 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1940 and 1960 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1950
Rank
City County 1940 Pop. 1950 Pop. 1960 Pop. Change 1950-60
1 Detroit Wayne 1,623,452 1,849,568 1,670,144 −9.7%
2 Grand Rapids Kent 164,292 176,515 177,313 0.5%
3 Flint Genesee 151,543 163,143 196,940 20.7%
4 Dearborn Wayne 63,589 94,994 112,007 17.9%
5 Saginaw Saginaw 82,794 92,918 98,265 5.8%
6 Lansing Ingham 78,753 92,129 107,807 17.0%
7 Pontiac Oakland 66,626 73,681 82,233 11.6%
8 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 54,097 57,704 82,089 42.4%
9 Bay City Bay 47,956 52,523 53,604 2.1%
10 Jackson Jackson 49,656 51,088 50,720 −0.7%
11 Battle Creek Calhoun 43,453 48,666 44,169 −9.2%
12 Muskegon Muskegon 47,697 48,429 46,485 −4.0%
13 Ann Arbor Washtenaw 29,815 48,251 67,340 39.6%
14 Royal Oak Oakland 25,087 46,898 80,612 71.9%
15 Warren Macomb 23,658 42,653 89,246 109.2%

Counties[]

The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 100,000 based on 1950 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1940 and 1960 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Counties that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1980
Rank
County Largest city 1940 Pop. 1950 Pop. 1960 Pop. Change 1950-60
1 Wayne Detroit 2,015,623 2,435,235 2,666,297 9.5%
2 Oakland Pontiac 254,068 396,001 690,259 74.3%
3 Kent Grand Rapids 246,338 288,292 363,187 26.0%
4 Genesee Flint 227,944 270,963 374,313 38.1%
5 Macomb Warren 107,638 184,961 405,804 119.4%
6 Ingham Lansing 130,616 172,941 211,296 22.2%
7 Saginaw Saginaw 130,468 153,515 190,752 24.3%
8 Washtenaw Ann Arbor 80,810 134,606 172,440 28.1%
9 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 100,085 126,707 169,712 33.9%
10 Muskegon Muskegon 94,501 121,545 129,943 6.9%
11 Calhoun Battle Creek 94,206 120,813 138,858 14.9%
12 Berrien Benton Harbor 89,117 115,702 149,865 29.5%
13 Jackson Jackson 93,108 108,168 131,994 22.0%

Sports[]

Baseball[]

American football[]

Basketball[]

Ice hockey[]

Boat racing[]

Golfing[]

Other[]

Chronology of events[]

January[]

February[]

March[]

April[]

May[]

June[]

July[]

August[]

September[]

October[]

November[]

December[]

Births[]

  • March 13 - Sam Viviano, caricature artist and art director, in Detroit
  • May 10 - Christopher Paul Curtis, Newbery Medal-winning writer of children's books (Bud, Not Buddy, The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963), in Flint, Michigan
  • May 21 - Carl Carlton, R&B, soul, and funk singer-songwriter best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)"), in Detroit
  • July 3 - Frank Tanana, Major League Baseball pitcher (1973-1993) and AL ERA leader (1973), in Detroit
  • July 21 - John Nelson, Academy Award-winning visual effects artist (Gladiator, Iron Man), in Detroit
  • September 29 - Michael Talbot, author of books highlighting parallels between ancient mysticism and quantum mechanics, in Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • November 11 - Marshall Crenshaw, musician, singer and songwriter, in Detroit
  • November 27 - Curtis Armstrong, actor (Revenge of the Nerds movies, Moonlighting, Risky Business), in Detroit
  • December 6 - Tom Hulce, Academy Award-nominated actor (Amadeus), in Detroit

Gallery of 1953 births[]

Deaths[]

  • March 10 - Alex J. Groesbeck, Governor of Michigan (1921-1927), at age 79 in Detroit
  • May 16 - James Baird, American football quarterback and president of George A. Fuller Co., at age 79 in Tucson, Arizona
  • November 30 - Kim Sigler, Governor of Michigan (1947-1949), at age 59 in Augusta, Michigan

Gallery of 1953 deaths[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Tornadoes Topped '53 In State". The Herald-Press. December 31, 1953. pp. IV-2 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "$40,000,000 GM Fire Razes Plant, Kills 2". Detroit Free Press. August 13, 1953. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1953 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  4. ^ "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 71. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  5. ^ 2012 Record Book, p. 13.
  6. ^ "1953 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  7. ^ "1953 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "1953 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  9. ^ "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 110. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  10. ^ "1953 Detroit Mercy Titans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  11. ^ "2014 Digital Media Guide: Eastern Michigan University" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 169, 176. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  12. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  13. ^ "1952–53 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  14. ^ "University of Michigan Basketball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. p. 31.
  15. ^ "1952–53 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  16. ^ "1952–53 Detroit Titans Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  17. ^ "1952–53 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  18. ^ "1952–53 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  19. ^ "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  20. ^ "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  21. ^ "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
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