1966 in Michigan

Events from the year 1966 in Michigan.

1966 in Michigan
History of Michigan
Locator Map
License plate

The Detroit Free Press (DFP)[1] and the Associated Press (AP)[2] each selected lists of the top stories of 1966 in Michigan. The AP provided separate lists of the top stories selected in statewide polling of editors and broadcasters (APE) and another selected by the AP staff (APS). Those stories included:

  1. George W. Romney's landslide re-election as Governor of Michigan on November 8 and his rise in prominence as a possible Republican presidential candidate in 1968 (APE-1, APS-1, DFP-1);
  2. The November 8 United States Senate election in which incumbent Republican Robert P. Griffin (appointed by Gov. Romney to complete the term of Patrick V. McNamara who died in April) defeated former Gov. G. Mennen Williams (APE-2, APS-4, DFP-1 [as part of the "Romney sweep"]);
  3. The controversy over automobile safety triggered by the publication of Ralph Nader's "Unsafe at Any Speed" and culminating in the Highway Safety Act of 1966 mandating certain safety standards, and revelation that an investigator hired by General Motors was digging into Nader's past (APE-3, APS-2, DFP-5);
  4. The fatal shooting on February 12 of Rabbi Morris Adler and his assailant's suicide in front of 900 worshipers at a Sabbath service at Shaarey Zedek synagogue in Southfield (APE-4, APS-9, DFP-3);[3]
  5. Racial tensions, including incidents in Lansing starting on August 8, a fire bombing in East Detroit, incidents in Ypsilanti and Muskegon, and culminating with the Benton Harbor riots following a fatal shooting on August 30 (APE-6, APS-3, DFP-7 [east side of Detroit]);
  6. The November 29 sinking in Lake Huron of the ore carrier SS Daniel J. Morrell with the death of 28 of 29 crew members (APE [occurred after ballots cast], APS-7, DFP-6);
  7. Teacher strikes in the spring and fall (APE-7, APS-5, DFP-8);
  8. UFO sightings by hundreds of persons in Washtenaw County in the spring which were later identified as "swamp gas" by an Air Force investigator (APE-5, APS-6, DFP-10);
  9. A grand jury probe into "black book" charges at the Detroit Police Department (APE-9, DFP-2);
  10. The August 2 primary contest in which former Gov. G. Mennen Williams soundly defeated Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh for the Democratic Party's U.S. Senate nomination (APE-8);
  11. The automobile industry's increase in prices on 1967 models to reflect new safety upgrades mandated by the government, and the subsequent roll-back of those increases following public criticism (APE-10, APS-10);
  12. A tuberculosis outbreak infecting 14 children and caused by an infected teacher at a nursery school in Garden City (DFP-4);
  13. A report by researchers at Wayne State University that they had developed a cancer vaccine (APS-8); and
  14. An April boycott by African-American students at Detroit's Northern High School (DFP-10).

The AP and United Press International (UPI) also selected the state's top 1966 sports stories as follows:[4][5]

  1. The 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country and ending in a 10–10 tie (AP-1, UPI-1);
  2. Michigan State's loss to UCLA in the 1966 Rose Bowl (AP-2);
  3. The 1966 Michigan State Spartans football team's undefeated season (UPI-3);
  4. The deaths of Detroit Tigers' manager Charlie Dressen on August 10 and of interim manager Bob Swift on October 17; (AP-3, AP-8, UPI-2)
  5. The 1965–66 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team winning its third consecutive Big Ten Conference championship led by Cazzie Russell (AP-5, UPI-4);
  6. The Detroit Lions' personnel problems, including Joe Don Looney's refusal to play, dissension among players, and criticism of head coach Harry Gilmer (AP-4, UPI-5);
  7. The Detroit Lions' mid-season resurgence led by the passing of rookie quarterback Karl Sweetan, the receiving of Pat Studstill, and the kicking of Garo Yepremian (AP-6, UPI-6 [Sweetan only]);
  8. The death of Chuck Thompson in a crash during the APBA Gold Cup race on the Detroit River (AP-7);
  9. The appointment of Mayo Smith as manager of the Detroit Tigers (AP-10, UPI-8);
  10. Earl Wilson's strong 18–11 season as a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers (UPI-7);
  11. Cazzie Russell of Michigan named the UPI Player of the Year (UPI-9); and
  12. Denny McLain winning 20 games for the Detroit Tigers (UPI-10).

Office holders

State office holders
Gov. Romney

Mayors of major cities
Mayor Cavanagh

Federal office holders
Sen. Griffin
Sen. Hart

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
1DetroitWayne1,849,5681,670,1441,514,063−9.3% Decrease
2FlintGenesee163,143196,940193,317−1.8% Decrease
3Grand RapidsKent176,515177,313197,64911.5% Increase
4DearbornWayne94,994112,007104,199−7.0% Decrease
5LansingIngham92,129107,807131,40321.9% Increase
6SaginawSaginaw92,91898,26591,849−6.5% Decrease
7WarrenMacomb42,65389,246179,260100.2% Increase
8PontiacOakland73,68182,23385,2793.7% Increase
9KalamazooKalamazoo57,70482,08985,5554.1% Increase
10Royal OakOakland46,89880,61286,2387.0% Increase
11St. Clair ShoresMacomb19,82376,65788,09314.9% Increase
12Ann ArborWashtenaw48,25167,340100,03548.6% Increase
13LivoniaWayne17,63466,702110,10965.1% Increase
14Dearborn HeightsWayne20,23561,11880,06931.0% Increase
15WestlandWayne30,40760,74386,74942.8% 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
1WayneDetroit2,435,2352,666,2972,666,7510.0% Increase
2OaklandPontiac396,001690,259907,87131.5% Increase
3MacombWarren184,961405,804625,30954.1% Increase
4GeneseeFlint270,963374,313444,34118.7% Increase
5KentGrand Rapids288,292363,187411,04413.2% Increase
6InghamLansing172,941211,296261,03923.5% Increase
7SaginawSaginaw153,515190,752219,74315.2% Increase
8WashtenawAnn Arbor134,606172,440234,10335.8% Increase
9KalamazooKalamazoo126,707169,712201,55018.8% Increase
10BerrienBenton Harbor115,702149,865163,8759.3% Increase
11CalhounBattle Creek120,813138,858141,9632.2% Increase
12JacksonJackson108,168131,994143,2748.5% Increase
13MuskegonMuskegon121,545129,943157,42621.2% Increase
14St. ClairPort Huron91,599107,201120,17512.1% Increase
15BayBay City88,461107,042117,3399.6% Increase
16MonroeMonroe75,666101,120118,47917.2% Increase

Sports

Baseball

American football

Basketball

Ice hockey

Golf

Boat racing

Other

Music

Michigan and/or Motown acts performed 11 of the songs ranked on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1966, as follows:

Chronology of events

Births

Deaths

See also

References
  1. "Can You Guess Top '66 Stories?". Detroit Free Press. December 25, 1966. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Politics Heads List of State's Top News Stories of 1966". Ironwood Daily Globe (AP story). December 30, 1966. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "900 in Synagog See Rabbi Adler Shot". Detroit Free Press. February 13, 1966. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "MSU Football Fortunes Top Sports Stories". Ironwood Daily Globe (AP story). December 30, 1966. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Tied Grid Clash Top '66 State Sports News". Traverse City Record-Eagle (UPI story). December 24, 1966. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "1966 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  7. "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 71. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  8. 2012 Record Book, p. 13.
  9. "1966 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  10. "1966 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  11. "1966 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  12. "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  13. "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 20, 2017.
  14. "2014 Digital Media Guide: Eastern Michigan University" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 169, 176. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  15. "1965–66 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  16. "1965–66 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  17. "1965–66 Detroit Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  18. "1965–66 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  19. "1965–66 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  20. "1965–66 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  21. "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  22. "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  23. "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
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