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1969 in Michigan

Events from the year 1969 in Michigan.

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1969
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Decades:
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The Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) each selected the top 10 stories in Michigan for 1969, including the following:[1]

  1. The "Michigan murders", a series of six killings of young women between 1967 and 1969 in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area climaxing with the August 1 arrest of John Norman Collins (AP-1, UPI-1);
  2. An education reform plan proposed by Governor William Milliken (AP-2, UPI-2);
  3. The debate over a proposal to provide public funding to parochial schools (AP-3, UPI-2);
  4. William Milliken's succession of George W. Romney as Governor of Michigan following Romney's becoming United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (AP-4, UPI-3);
  5. The New Bethel Church shootout between members of the Republic of New Africa and the Detroit Police Department on March 29 (AP-5, UPI-7);
  6. The November 4 Detroit mayoral election in which Wayne County Sheriff Roman Gribbs narrowly defeated Wayne County auditor Richard H. Austin's bid to become the city's first African-American mayor (AP-6, UPI-6);[2]
  7. Henry Ford II's firing of Semon Knudsen as president of Ford Motor Company on September 11, only 18 months after Knudsen was hired away from General Motors (AP-7, UPI-5);[3]
  8. The October 17 appointment of Clifton R. Wharton Jr. as President of Michigan State University, the first African-American to head a major university (AP-8, UPI-8);[4]
  9. Controversy over sex education guidelines prepared by the Michigan Board of Education (UPI-4);
  10. The murder trial and acquittal of Detroit police officer Ronald August arising out of the Algiers Motel incident (AP-9);
  11. The emergence of Robert P. Griffin as a force in the United States Senate with his selection as whip (UPI-9);
  12. The death of Dr. Leroy G. Augenstein, a member of the Michigan State Board of Education and a potential U.S. Senate candidate in 1970, in a private plane crash on November 8 (AP-10, UPI-10).[5]

The UPI also selected the state's top 10 sports stories as follows:[6]

  1. The 1969 Ohio State vs. Michigan football game with Michigan upsetting undefeated and No. 1 ranked Ohio State on November 22;[7]
  2. The 1969 Michigan Wolverines football team tying for the Big Ten Conference championship and receiving the conference's berth to play in the 1970 Rose Bowl;[8]
  3. Spencer Haywood, basketball player at the University of Detroit, selected as an All-American and decided to turn pro;[9]
  4. The October 16 firing of Bill Gadsby as the Detroit Red Wings's coach with Sid Abel taking over coaching duties;[10]
  5. The August 10 firing of Johnny Sain as the Detroit Tigers' pitching coach after a public rift with manager Mayo Smith;[11]
  6. The first and last Michigan Golf Classic, held at the Shenandoah Golf and County Club, which became the first PGA Tour event in modern history to default on its obligation to pay purse money;[12]
  7. The 1969 Detroit Lions finishing with their best record since 1962;[13]
  8. Gordie Howe tallying a career-high 103 points at age 41;[14]
  9. The 1969 Detroit Tigers failing to repeat as American League champions and finishing in second place in the new American League East;[15]
  10. (tie) The September 10 death of Michigan State basketball coach John E. Benington from a heart attack in the coaches' locker room at Jenison Fieldhouse,[16] and Dave Bing's September 2 announcement that he would leave the Detroit Pistons in 1971 to play for the Washington Capitols in the ABA.[17]

In music, the year's highlights in Michigan included albums from Michigan bands Tommy James and the Shondells (featuring "Crimson and Clover" and "Crystal Blue Persuasion"), The Stooges (featuring "I Wanna Be Your Dog"), Bob Seger (featuring "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man"), the MC5 (Kick Out the Jams), Alice Cooper, and Grand Funk Railroad, and Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. continued to produce hit records by The Temptations ("I Can't Get Next to You"), Diana Ross & the Supremes ("Someday We'll Be Together"), Stevie Wonder ("My Cherie Amour"), The Jackson 5 ("I Want You Back"), and Marvin Gaye ("Too Busy Thinking About My Baby").

Office holders

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Gov. Milliken

State office holders

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Mayors of major cities

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Mayor Cavanagh

Federal office holders

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Sen. Griffin
 
Sen. Hart

Population

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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

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

Counties

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

Sports

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Baseball

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American football

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Basketball

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Ice hockey

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Golf

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Boat racing

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Other

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Music

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Michigan and/or Motown acts performed 14 of the songs ranked on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1969, as follows:

Albums released by Michigan and/or Motown acts in 1969 included the following:

Chronology of events

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January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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December

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Births

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Deaths

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ann Arbor Murders Top Story". The News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, Michigan. December 24, 1969. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Gribbs Wins Mayor Race: One of Closest Contests in History". Detroit Free Press. November 5, 1969. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Knudsen Out in Ford Shakeup". Detroit Free Press. September 12, 1969. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Wharton Will Head MSU". Lansing State Journal. October 17, 1969. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Crash Fatal to Augenstein". Lansing State Journal. November 9, 1969. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "U-M's Upset Of OSU, Top Story". The Holland Evening Sentinel. December 31, 1969. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "U-M Humbles OSU: The Smell of Roses". Detroit Free Press. November 23, 1969. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "1969 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  9. ^ "Haywood Quits U-D to Play Pro Ball". Detroit Free Press. August 24, 1969. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Wings Fire Bill Gadsby; Then Lose 1st". Detroit Free Press. October 17, 1962. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Tigers Fire Sain as Pitching Coach". Detroit Free Press. August 11, 1969. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Ziegler Wins -- Golf Classic Can't Pay!". Detroit Free Press. September 8, 1969. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "1969 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "1968–69 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  15. ^ a b "1969 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  16. ^ "Death Prevents Benington's Greatest Victory". Lansing State Journal. September 11, 1969. p. F1 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Dave Bing to Quit Pistons for ABA: Agrees To Leave After 1970-71 Season". Detroit Free Press. September 3, 1969. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Schweigert OK'd For Lt. Governor". Battle Creek Enquirer and News. March 27, 1969. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Riegle switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in 1973.
  20. ^ "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 76. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  21. ^ "1969 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  22. ^ "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 110. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  23. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  24. ^ "1968–69 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  25. ^ "1968–69 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  26. ^ "1967–69 Detroit Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  27. ^ "1968–69 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  28. ^ "1968–69 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  29. ^ "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  30. ^ "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  31. ^ "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
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