1977 in Michigan

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Events from the year 1977 in Michigan.

The Associated Press (AP) selected Michigan's top stories of 1977 as follows:[1]

  1. The emergence of the Michigan PBB contamination scandal as a political issue and related medical investigation and legislative actions (the PBB scandal was one of the state's top stories for the fourth consecutive year dating back to 1974);
  2. Cold weather through the winter of 1977 with many cities recording the coldest temperatures of the century, Lake Michigan frozen solid, several deaths due to exposure, closure of automobile plants due to natural gas shortages, and snow closing U.S. Route 131 between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo for a week;
  3. The Oakland County Child Killings involving the unsolved murders of at least four Oakland County youths reportedly tied to the driver of a blue Gremlin;
  4. The 13-week trial, conviction, and subsequent new trial order in the prosecution of two Filipina nurses, Filipina Narciso and Leonora Perez, in the Ann Arbor Hospital Murders in which 10 patients at the Veterans Hospital in Ann Arbor died mysteriously from respiratory failure (the Ann Arbor Hospital Murders were one of the state's top stories for the third consecutive year dating back to 1975);
  5. The case of Francine Hughes (subsequently the topic of The Burning Bed), a 29-year-old woman from Danville who killed her husband by setting his bed on fire in March after years of domestic abuse and was found not guilty in November by reason of temporary insanity;
  6. Gov. William Milliken's veto of Project Seafarer, a proposed underground military extremely low frequency (ELF) network in the Upper Peninsula;
  7. A civil lawsuit by farmers Roy and Marilyn Tacoma against several parties for the loss of cattle in connection with the Michigan PBB contamination scandal (See #1 above) and resulting in the longest court case in Michigan history;
  8. The August 25 abduction of Evelyn Van Tassel from her Upper Peninsula home and the subsequent trial and conviction of her abductor, Douglas Henry, for kidnapping and rape;
  9. The closure of Kincheloe Air Force Base in the eastern Upper Peninsula; and
  10. The April announcement by U.S. Senator Robert P. Griffin that he would not run for reelection in 1978.

The AP and the United Press International (UPI) each selected the state's top sports stories of 1977 as follows:[2][3]

  1. The second season of Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych (2.89 ERA in 11 games) which was shortened by injuries (AP-1, UPI-1);
  2. The 1977 Michigan Wolverines football team led by quarterback Rick Leach and running back Russell Davis compiling a 10–1 record in the regular season, including a victory over Ohio State (AP-3, UPI-3 [tie]);
  3. The Detroit Red Wings' firing of Alex Delvecchio after the 1976–77 team compiled a 16–55–9 record, the hiring of Ted Lindsay as the team's general manager, and Lindsay's rebuilding program and promise to bring back aggressive hockey (AP-5, UPI-2);
  4. The 1976–77 Detroit Titans men's basketball team led by John Long and Terry Tyler compiling a 25–4 record followed by Dick Vitale's resignation as head coach (AP-4 [season], AP-6 [resignation], UPI-5 [season]);
  5. Magic Johnson's decision to attend Michigan State University after leading Lansing's Everett High School to the Michigan Class A high school basketball championship (AP-2, UPI-9);
  6. The 1976–77 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team led by Phil Hubbard and Rickey Green compiling a 26–4 record, receiving the No. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season, and advancing to the Elite Eight round in the NCAA tournament (AP-8, UPI-3 [tie])
  7. The 1976 Michigan Wolverines football team's 14–6 loss to USC in the 1977 Rose Bowl (AP-7, UPI-7);
  8. The performances of Detroit Tigers players Dave Rozema (15-7 record, 3.09 ERA), Ron LeFlore (.325 batting average, 212 hits), and Steve Kemp (18 home runs, 88 RBIs) (AP-9 [Rozema and LeFlore], UPI-8 [Rozema and Kemp]);
  9. The trade of highly touted 1976 draft pick Marvin Barnes on November 23 after appearing in only 65 games for the Detroit Pistons to the Buffalo Braves in exchange for Gus Gerard, John Shumate and a 1979 first round draft pick (Roy Hamilton was selected) (UPI-6); and
  10. The April 12 trade of designated hitter Willie Horton, who had played for the Detroit Tigers since 1963, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for pitcher Steve Foucault (UPI-10).

Office holders[]

State office holders[]

Gov. Milliken
Sen. Griffin
Sen. Riegle

Mayors of major cities[]

Federal office holders[]

  • United States Senator from Michigan: Donald W. Riegle Jr. (Democrat)
  • United States Senator from Michigan: Robert P. Griffin (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 1: John Conyers (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 2: Carl Pursell (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 3: Garry E. Brown (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 4: David Stockman (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 5: Harold S. Sawyer (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 6: Bob Carr (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 7: Dale Kildee (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 8: J. Bob Traxler (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 9: Guy Vander Jagt (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 10: Elford Albin Cederberg (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 11: Philip Ruppe (Republican)
  • United States Representative, District 12: David Bonior (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 13: Charles Diggs (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 14: Lucien N. Nedzi (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 15: William D. Ford (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 16: John Dingell (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 17: William M. Brodhead (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 18: James Blanchard (Democrat)
  • United States Representative, District 19: William Broomfield (Republican)

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
1 Detroit Wayne 1,670,144 1,514,063 1,203,368 −20.5% Decrease
2 Grand Rapids Kent 177,313 197,649 181,843 −8.0% Decrease
3 Flint Genesee 196,940 193,317 159,611 −17.4% Decrease
4 Warren Macomb 89,246 179,260 161,134 −10.1% Decrease
5 Lansing Ingham 107,807 131,403 130,414 −0.8% Decrease
6 Livonia Wayne 66,702 110,109 104,814 −4.8% Decrease
7 Dearborn Wayne 112,007 104,199 90,660 −13.0% Decrease
8 Ann Arbor Washtenaw 67,340 100,035 107,969 7.9% Increase
9 Saginaw Saginaw 98,265 91,849 77,508 −15.6% Decrease
10 St. Clair Shores Macomb 76,657 88,093 76,210 −13.5% Decrease
11 Westland Wayne 60,743 86,749 84,603 −2.5% Decrease
12 Royal Oak Oakland 80,612 86,238 70,893 −17.8% Decrease
13 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 82,089 85,555 79,722 −6.8% Decrease
14 Pontiac Oakland 82,233 85,279 76,715 −10.0% Decrease
15 Dearborn Heights Wayne 61,118 80,069 67,706 −15.4% Decrease
16 Taylor Wayne na 70,020 77,568 10.8% 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
1 Wayne Detroit 2,666,297 2,666,751 2,337,891 −12.3% Decrease
2 Oakland Pontiac 690,259 907,871 1,011,793 11.4% Increase
3 Macomb Warren 405,804 625,309 694,600 11.1% Increase
4 Genesee Flint 374,313 444,341 450,449 1.4% Increase
5 Kent Grand Rapids 363,187 411,044 444,506 8.1% Increase
6 Ingham Lansing 211,296 261,039 275,520 5.5% Increase
7 Washtenaw Ann Arbor 172,440 234,103 264,748 13.1% Increase
8 Saginaw Saginaw 190,752 219,743 228,059 3.8% Increase
9 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 169,712 201,550 212,378 5.4% Increase
10 Berrien Benton Harbor 149,865 163,875 171,276 4.5% Increase
11 Muskegon Muskegon 129,943 157,426 157,589 0.1% Increase
12 Jackson Jackson 131,994 143,274 151,495 5.7% Increase
13 Calhoun Battle Creek 138,858 141,963 141,557 −0.3% Decrease
14 Ottawa Holland 98,719 128,181 157,174 22.6% Increase
15 St. Clair Port Huron 107,201 120,175 138,802 15.5% Increase
16 Monroe Monroe 101,120 118,479 134,659 13.7% Increase
17 Bay Bay City 107,042 117,339 119,881 2.2% Increase

Sports[]

Baseball[]

American football[]

Basketball[]

Ice hockey[]

Other[]

Music[]

Albums and singles by Michigan artists or centered on Michigan topics that were released or became hits in 1977 include the following:

  • "Sir Duke", a single by Detroit native Stevie Wonder, was released in March 1977, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 18 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • "I Wish", a single by Stevie Wonder, was released in November 1976, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 51 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • "Hotel California", a single with lyrics by Detroit native Glenn Frey, was released in February 1977, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 19 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • "New Kid in Town", co-written by Detroit natives Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther (with Don Henley), was released in December 1976 and became a hit in 1977, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and ranking No. 59 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • "Night Moves, a single by Detroit native Bob Seger, was released in December 1976, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 55 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • "Rock and Roll Never Forgets", a single from Bob Seger, was released in June 1977. Though it only reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, it became a staple of classic rock radio.
  • Cat Scratch Fever, the third studio album from Ted Nugent, was released in May 1977. It reached No. 17 on the Billboard album chart and was certified platinum. The album included the single "Cat Scratch Fever" that reached No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2009, the single was named the 32nd best hard rock song of all time by VH1.[19]
  • Lust for Life, an album by Michigan native Iggy Pop written and recorded with David Bowie, was released in February 1977. It included the classic songs "Lust for Life" and "The Passenger".
  • The Idiot, an Iggy Pop album written and recorded with David Bowie, was released in March 1977. It included the songs "China Girl", "Funtime", and Nightclubbing".
  • "You and Me", a single by Detroit native Alice Cooper, was released in April 1977, reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 48 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • "I Never Cry, a single by Alice Cooper, was released in July 1976, became a hit in 1977, and was ranked No. 82 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.
  • Sweet Passion, a studio album from Aretha Franklin, was released in May 1977. The single "Break It to Me Gently" which reached No. 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.
  • An Evening with Diana Ross, a live album by Detroit native Diana Ross, was released in January 1977 and reached No. 29 on the Billboard album chart.
  • Baby It's Me, an album from Diana Ross, was released in September 1977, and reached No. 18 on the Billboard album chart. It included the hit single "Gettin' Ready for Love".
  • Deep in My Soul, and album by Smokey Robinson, was released in January 1977.

Chronology of events[]

January[]

February[]

March[]

April[]

May[]

June[]

July[]

August[]

September[]

October[]

November[]

December[]

Births[]

  • February 22 - J. J. Putz, Major League Baseball relief pitcher (2003-2014), in Trenton, Michigan
  • February 24 - Floyd Mayweather Jr., professional boxer and boxing promoter, in Grand Rapids
  • March 25 - Brian Calley, Michigan Lieutenant Governor (2011–2018), in Dearborn, Michigan
  • September 7 - Mateen Cleaves, basketball player at Michigan State and professionally (1996-2009), in Flint, Michigan
  • September 21 - Jeff Backus, NFL offensive lineman (2001-2012), in Midland, Michigan
  • September 26 - Kevin Cotter, 72nd Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives (2015-2017)
  • October 22 - Jocelyn Benson, 43rd Michigan Secretary of State (2019–present)
  • December 30 - Kenyon Martin, NBA basketball player (2000-2015), in Saginaw, Michigan

Gallery of 1977 births[]

Deaths[]

  • March 3 - Stubby Overmire, Major League Baseball pitcher (1943-1952), at age 57 in Lakeland, Florida

Gallery of 1977 deaths[]

References[]

  1. ^ "PBB Poisoning Rated Top Michigan Story of 1977". Ironwood Daily Globe. December 27, 1977. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Bird's injuries voted top '77 sports story". Traverse City Record-Eagle (UPI story). December 29, 1977. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Injured Fidrych Voted Top State Sports Story". The News-Palladium (AP story). December 28, 1977. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "1977 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  5. ^ "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 71. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  6. ^ "1977 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  7. ^ "1977 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  8. ^ "1977 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  9. ^ "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 110. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  10. ^ "2014 Digital Media Guide: Eastern Michigan University" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 169, 176. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  11. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  12. ^ "1976–77 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  13. ^ "1976–77 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  14. ^ "1975–76 Detroit Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  15. ^ "1976–77 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  16. ^ "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  17. ^ "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  18. ^ "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  19. ^ "Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs". January 1, 2009. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
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