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1986 in Michigan

Events from the year 1986 in Michigan.

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1986
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Michigan

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Top Michigan news stories

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The Associated Press (AP) selected the top stories in Michigan for 1986 as follows:[1]

1. Heavy rains in September and October that brought 20 inches of rainfall and resulted in $400 million in damage, including $289 million in losses to farmers. Gov. Blanchard declared the flooding to be the worst in state history.
2. The November gubernatorial election in which James Blanchard won re-election with 68% of the vote. Republican William Lucas, the first African-American candidate for the office, received 31% of the vote. The margin was the largest landslide in Michigan in six decades.
3. Incentives offered by General Motors and other American automobile manufacturers to reduce inventory. GM offered 2.9% financing, and American Motors offered zero percent loans on some models.
4. Record high water levels in the Great Lakes. Lake levels in October 1986 were more than a foot higher than the previous year.
5. The proposed conversion of Consumers Power's Midland Nuclear Power Plant to gas generation.
6. General Motors' announcement, following a $338 million operating loss in the third quarter, that it would close nine plants and scale back operations at two other plants. Seven of the affected plants were located in Michigan. The move was expected to result in the loss of 17,000 jobs in Michigan.
7. The decline in gasoline prices to 83 cents a gallon in Michigan.
8. The arraignment of Judge S. Jerome Bronson for bribery and his suicide hours later.
9. The application to the Department of Justice for a joint operating agreement between the state's two largest newspapers, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.
10. Michigan's unemployment rate drops below 10%.

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

1. The story of Chuck Long being drafted by the Detroit Lions, holding out for better contract terms, and missing most of the 1986 Detroit Lions season.
2. Kirk Gibson re-signing with the Detroit Tigers after becoming a free agent.
3. The Michigan Wolverines defeated Nebraska in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, led by Jamie Morris who rushed for 156 yards in the game, and were ranked No. 2 in the final AP Poll.
4. The Detroit Red Wings' firing of Brad Park as head coach and hiring of Jacques Demers to replace him.
5. (tie) Jim Harbaugh guaranteeing a victory over Ohio State and leading the 1986 Michigan Wolverines football team to a berth in the Rose Bowl.
5. (tie) The demise of the Cherry Bowl, a bowl game played in the Pontiac Silverdome in 1984 and 1985.
7. The end of Scott Skiles' college basketball career. He led the 1985–86 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team to the Sweet Sixteen round in the 1986 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
8. The Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey team winning the 1986 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
9. (tie) The deaths of Detroit sports legends, Hank Greenberg (September 4), Norm Cash (October 11), and Bobby Layne (December 1).
10. The Detroit Pistons' trades that saw the departures of Kelly Tripucka and John Long and arrivals of Adrian Dantley and Sidney Green.

Office holders

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State office holders

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Gov. Blanchard

Mayors of major cities

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Federal office holders

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Sen. Riegle
 
Sen. Levin

Population

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In the 1980 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 9,259,000 persons, ranking as the eighth most populous state in the country. By 1990, the state's population had grown only marginally by 0.4% to 9,259,000 persons.

Cities

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The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 50,000 based on 1980 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1970 and 1990 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1980
Rank 		City County 1970 Pop. 1980 Pop. 1990 Pop. Change 1980-90
1 Detroit Wayne 1,514,063 1,203,368 1,027,974 −14.6%  
2 Grand Rapids Kent 197,649 181,843 189,126 4.0%  
3 Warren Macomb 179,260 161,134 144,864 −10.1%  
4 Flint Genesee 193,317 159,611 140,761 −11.8%  
5 Lansing Ingham 131,403 130,414 127,321 −2.4%  
6 Sterling Heights Macomb 61,365 108,999 117,810 8.1%  
7 Ann Arbor Washtenaw 100,035 107,969 109,592 1.5%  
8 Livonia Wayne 110,109 104,814 100,850 −3.8%  
9 Dearborn Wayne 104,199 90,660 89,286 −1.5% 
10 Westland Wayne 86,749 84,603 84,724 0.1%  
11 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 85,555 79,722 80,277 0.7%  
12 Taylor Wayne 70,020 77,568 70,811 −8.7%  
13 Saginaw Saginaw 91,849 77,508 69,512 −10.3%  
14 Pontiac Oakland 85,279 76,715 71,166 −7.2%  
15 St. Clair Shores Macomb 88,093 76,210 68,107 −10.6%  
16 Southfield Oakland 69,298 75,608 75,745 0.2%  
17 Royal Oak Oakland 86,238 70,893 65,410 −7.7%  
18 Dearborn Heights Wayne 80,069 67,706 60,838 −10.1%  
19 Troy Oakland 39,419 67,102 72,884 8.6%  
20 Wyoming Kent 56,560 59,616 63,891 7.2%  
21 Farmington Hills Oakland -- 58,056 74,611 28.5%  
22 Roseville Macomb 60,529 54,311 51,412 −5.3%  
23 East Lansing Ingham 47,540 51,392 50,677 −1.4%  

Counties

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The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 100,000 based on 1980 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1970 and 1990 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 1970 Pop. 1980 Pop. 1990 Pop. Change 1980-90
1 Wayne Detroit 2,666,751 2,337,891 2,111,687 −9.7%  
2 Oakland Pontiac 907,871 1,011,793 1,083,592 7.1%  
3 Macomb Warren 625,309 694,600 717,400 3.3%  
4 Genesee Flint 444,341 450,449 430,459 −4.4%  
5 Kent Grand Rapids 411,044 444,506 500,631 12.6%  
6 Ingham Lansing 261,039 275,520 281,912 2.3%  
7 Washtenaw Ann Arbor 234,103 264,748 282,937 6.9%  
8 Saginaw Saginaw 219,743 228,059 211,946 −7.1%  
9 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 201,550 212,378 223,411 5.2%  
10 Berrien Benton Harbor 163,875 171,276 161,378 −5.8%  
11 Muskegon Muskegon 157,426 157,589 158,983 0.9%  
12 Ottawa Holland 128,181 157,174 187,768 19.5%  
13 Jackson Jackson 143,274 151,495 149,756 −1.1%  
14 Calhoun Battle Creek 141,963 141,557 135,982 −3.9%  
15 St. Clair Port Huron 120,175 138,802 145,607 4.9%  
16 Monroe Monroe 118,479 134,659 133,600 −0.8%  
17 Bay Bay City 117,339 119,881 111,723 −6.8%  
18 Livingston Howell 58,967 100,289 115,645 15.3%  

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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Boxing

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Other

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Music and culture

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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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  • June 12 - Murray Van Wagoner, 38th Governor of Michigan (1941-1943), at age 88 in Farmington Hills
  • June 26 - Sanford A. Brown, Michigan State Treasurer (1955–1965), at age 77 in Bay Port[8]
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Flooding, Blanchard's landslide re-election were top state stories". Lansing State Journal. December 28, 1986. pp. 1D, 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "It was another Long story for Michigan sports enthusiasts". Lansing State Journal. December 28, 1986. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1986 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  4. ^ "1986 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "1986 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "1985–86 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "1985–86 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "Brown, S to T". Political Graveyard. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
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