1968 in Michigan

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Events from the year 1968 in Michigan.

The Associated Press (AP) surveyed newspaper editors and broadcasters and determined the top 10 stories in Michigan for 1968 as follows:[1]

  1. The candidacy of Gov. George W. Romney for President of the United States;
  2. The 1968 Detroit Tigers winning the American League pennant and defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1968 World Series;
  3. A newspaper strike that shut down the state's two largest newspapers, the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News, for nine months;
  4. Gov. Romney's decision to resign as Governor to become United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Pres. Richard M. Nixon;
  5. The reapportionment and redistricting of the state's county boards to reflect a "one man, one vote" proportionality;
  6. Michigan voters' defeat of a ballot measure to adopt daylight saving time;
  7. Hubert H. Humphrey's taking Michigan's 21 electoral votes in the 1968 United States presidential election (Humphrey received 1,593,082 votes (48.18%) to 1,370,665 (41.46%) for Richard M. Nixon and 331,968 (10.04%) for George Wallace);
  8. The Robison family murders, a mass murder on June 25 of six family members while vacationing in their Lake Michigan cottage just north of Good Hart, Michigan;
  9. Two heart transplants performed at the University of Michigan Hospital; and
  10. The adoption a statewide laws for open housing and the protection of tenants' rights.

The AP also selected the state's top 10 sports stories as follows:[2]

  1. Mickey Lolich's three victories in the 1968 World Series;
  2. The Detroit Tigers winning the American League pennant for the first time since 1968;
  3. Denny McLain's 31 wins as a pitcher for the Tigers;
  4. Gordie Howe's 700th goal and 1,500th game for the Detroit Red Wings;
  5. Ron Johnson's season, setting an NCAA record with 347 rushing yards in a game and Michigan records with 1,391 rushing yards and 114 points scored during the 1968 season;
  6. The Detroit Lions' acquisition of quarterback Bill Munson and their poor performance during the 1968 season;
  7. Spencer Haywood's transfer to the University of Detroit and his leading a resurgence in the school's basketball fortunes during the 1968-69 season;
  8. The popularity of coho salmon fishing;
  9. Two members of the Detroit Lions, Mel Farr and Lem Barney winning the NFL's offensive and defensive rookie of the year honors; and
  10. The death of Warner Gardner in a crash during the APBA Gold Cup unlimited hydroplane race on September 8 on the Detroit River.

Office holders[]

State office holders[]

Gov. Romney

Mayors of major cities[]

Mayor Cavanagh

Federal office holders[]

Sen. Griffin
Sen. Hart
  • U.S. Senator from Michigan: Robert P. Griffin (Republican)
  • U.S. Senator from Michigan: Philip Hart (Democrat)
  • House District 1: John Conyers (Democrat)
  • House District 2: Marvin L. Esch (Republican)
  • House District 3: Garry E. Brown (Republican)
  • House District 4: J. Edward Hutchinson (Republican)
  • House District 5: Gerald Ford (Republican)
  • House District 6: Charles E. Chamberlain (Republican)
  • House District 7: Donald W. Riegle Jr. (Republican[3])
  • House District 8: R. James Harvey (Republican)
  • House District 9: Guy Vander Jagt (Republican)
  • House District 10: Elford Albin Cederberg (Republican)
  • House District 11: Philip Ruppe (Republican)
  • House District 12: James G. O'Hara (Democrat)
  • House District 13: Charles Diggs (Democrat)
  • House District 14: Lucien N. Nedzi (Democrat)
  • House District 15: William D. Ford (Democrat)
  • House District 16: John Dingell Jr. (Democrat)
  • House District 17: Martha Griffiths (Democrat)
  • House District 18: William Broomfield (Republican)
  • House District 19: Jack H. McDonald (Republican)

Population[]

In the 1960 United States Census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 7,823,194 persons, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1970, the state's population had grown 13.4% to 8,875,083 persons.

Cities[]

The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 60,000 based on 1960 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1950 and 1970 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1960
Rank
City County 1950 Pop. 1960 Pop. 1970 Pop. Change
1960-70
1 Detroit Wayne 1,849,568 1,670,144 1,514,063 −9.3% Decrease
2 Flint Genesee 163,143 196,940 193,317 −1.8% Decrease
3 Grand Rapids Kent 176,515 177,313 197,649 11.5% Increase
4 Dearborn Wayne 94,994 112,007 104,199 −7.0% Decrease
5 Lansing Ingham 92,129 107,807 131,403 21.9% Increase
6 Saginaw Saginaw 92,918 98,265 91,849 −6.5% Decrease
7 Warren Macomb 42,653 89,246 179,260 100.2% Increase
8 Pontiac Oakland 73,681 82,233 85,279 3.7% Increase
9 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 57,704 82,089 85,555 4.1% Increase
10 Royal Oak Oakland 46,898 80,612 86,238 7.0% Increase
11 St. Clair Shores Macomb 19,823 76,657 88,093 14.9% Increase
12 Ann Arbor Washtenaw 48,251 67,340 100,035 48.6% Increase
13 Livonia Wayne 17,634 66,702 110,109 65.1% Increase
14 Dearborn Heights Wayne 20,235 61,118 80,069 31.0% Increase
15 Westland Wayne 30,407 60,743 86,749 42.8% Increase

Counties[]

The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 100,000 based on 1960 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1950 and 1970 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Counties that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1960
Rank
County Largest city 1950 Pop. 1960 Pop. 1970 Pop. Change
1960-70
1 Wayne Detroit 2,435,235 2,666,297 2,666,751 0.0% Increase
2 Oakland Pontiac 396,001 690,259 907,871 31.5% Increase
3 Macomb Warren 184,961 405,804 625,309 54.1% Increase
4 Genesee Flint 270,963 374,313 444,341 18.7% Increase
5 Kent Grand Rapids 288,292 363,187 411,044 13.2% Increase
6 Ingham Lansing 172,941 211,296 261,039 23.5% Increase
7 Saginaw Saginaw 153,515 190,752 219,743 15.2% Increase
8 Washtenaw Ann Arbor 134,606 172,440 234,103 35.8% Increase
9 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 126,707 169,712 201,550 18.8% Increase
10 Berrien Benton Harbor 115,702 149,865 163,875 9.3% Increase
11 Calhoun Battle Creek 120,813 138,858 141,963 2.2% Increase
12 Jackson Jackson 108,168 131,994 143,274 8.5% Increase
13 Muskegon Muskegon 121,545 129,943 157,426 21.2% Increase
14 St. Clair Port Huron 91,599 107,201 120,175 12.1% Increase
15 Bay Bay City 88,461 107,042 117,339 9.6% Increase
16 Monroe Monroe 75,666 101,120 118,479 17.2% Increase

Sports[]

Baseball[]

American football[]

Basketball[]

Ice hockey[]

Golf[]

Boat racing[]

Other[]

Music[]

Chronology of events[]

January[]

February[]

  • February 29 - George W. Romney ended his campaign for the Republican Presidential nomination.

March[]

April[]

May[]

  • May 1 - The Detroit Lions acquired quarterback Bill Munson in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams.

June[]

July[]

August[]

September[]

  • September 14 - Denny McLain won his 30th game of the year, a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics at Tiger Stadium. Dizzy Dean, the last pitcher to win 30 games was present to cheer for McLain. The Tigers scored two runs in the ninth inning to secure the victory.[21]

October[]

  • October 10 - The Detroit Tigers won Game 7 of the 1968 World Series, 4-1, against the St. Louis Cardinals. Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game on two days' rest.

November[]

  • November 5
  • Hubert H. Humphrey took Michigan's 21 electoral votes in the 1968 United States presidential election. Humphrey received 1,593,082 votes (48.18%) to 1,370,665 (41.46%) for Richard M. Nixon and 331,968 (10.04%) for George Wallace.
  • November 16 - Ron Johnson of Michigan set an NCAA single-game record with 347 rushing yards against Wisconsin.

December[]

Births[]

Gallery of 1968 births[]

Deaths[]

  • January 26 - John Kobs, head baseball coach at Michigan State University from 1925 to 1963, at age 69 in East Lansing, Michigan[22]
  • January 29 - George Anthony Dondero, U.S. Congressman from Michigan (1933-1957) and author of the bill creating the Saint Lawrence Seaway, at age 84 in Royal Oak, Michigan[23]
  • April 16 - Edna Ferber, Pulitzer Prize winning author (So Big, Show Boat, Cimarron, ) and Kalamazoo native, at age 82 in New York City[24]
  • May 1 - Jack Adams, coach (1927-1947) and manager (1927-1962) of the Detroit Red Wings who discovered and signed 16-year-old Gordie Howe, at age 73 from a heart attack at his office in Detroit[25]
  • October 28 - Wilber M. Brucker, Governor of Michigan (1931-1933) and United States Secretary of the Army (1955-1961), at age 74 in Detroit
  • December 12 - Ty Tyson, first radio broadcaster of a University of Michigan football game (1924), first to broadcast a regularly scheduled baseball game (1927), and the radio and later television voice of the Tigers from 1927 to 1951, at age 89 in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan[26]

Gallery of 1968 deaths[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Romney's Run Was Top Story Of '68". The Escanaba Daily Press (AP story). December 26, 1968. p. 10.
  2. ^ "Lolich, Tigers' Victories Rated Top Sports Stories". The Escanaba Daily Press (AP story). December 26, 1968. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Riegle switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in 1973.
  4. ^ "1968 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  5. ^ "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 76. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  6. ^ "1968 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  7. ^ "1968 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  8. ^ "1968 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  9. ^ "2014 Digital Media Guide: Eastern Michigan University" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 169, 176. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  10. ^ "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 110. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  11. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  12. ^ "1967–68 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  13. ^ "1967–68 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  14. ^ "1967–69 Detroit Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  15. ^ "1967–68 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  16. ^ "1967–68 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  17. ^ "1967–68 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  18. ^ "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  19. ^ "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  20. ^ "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  21. ^ "McLain Reaches Historic 30th Win". Lansing State Journal. September 15, 1968. p. H1 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "John Kobs Dies of Heart Attack". Lansing State Journal. January 27, 1968. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Seaway Bill Author Dies at 84". Lansing State Journal. January 30, 1968. p. 6 – via newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Edna Ferber, Author of Pulitzer Novel, Dead At 82". Port Huron Times-Herald. April 17, 1968. p. D7 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Hockey World Mourning Death of Jack Adams". The News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, Michigan. May 2, 1968. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Ty Tyson, 1st Voice of Tigers, Dies". Detroit Free Press. December 13, 1968. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
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