1988 in Michigan

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Events from the year 1988 in Michigan included: the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, while en route to Detroit; Jesse Jackson's victory over Michael Dukakis in the Michigan Democratic caucus; the crack cocaine epidemic in Detroit; the state's voters passing a ballot proposal prohibiting Medicaid-funded abortions; the induction of The Supremes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Grammy Awards won by multiple Michigan artists (including Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Smokey Robinson, Yusef Lateef, Robin Williams, CeCe Winans, and Narada Michael Walden); Steve Yzerman's emergence as the state's most popular athlete; and the Detroit Pistons defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA semifinals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games of the 1988 NBA Finals..

The Associated Press (AP) selected the top stories in Michigan for 1988 as follows:[1]

  1. Michigan voters in November 1988 approved Proposal A prohibiting Medicaid-paid abortions. It passed by a margin of 1.94 million to 1.48 million. With the vote, Michigan joined 36 other states in banning Medicaid abortions. In 1987, Michigan had spent $6 million to fund 18,000 abortions. The Michigan Legislature had voted 17 times to ban Medicaid-funded abortions between 1977 and 1987 but it was vetoed each time by Governors James Blanchard or William Milliken.[2]
  2. A drought that shriveled crops and led Gov. James Blanchard to impose a statewide ban on outdoor burning, fireworks and cigarette smoking.
  3. Presidential politics, including Pat Robertson's popularity, Jesse Jackson's victory in the Michigan caucus, and Michael Dukakis losing the state.
  4. (tie) The creation of the Michigan Education Trust guaranteeing college tuition for youngsters who enrolled. Some 40,344 children were enrolled in 1988.
  5. (tie) Debate over changes in school financing.
  6. Medical waste, including hypodermic needles with traces of blood, washed up on Lake Michigan shoreline, forcing temporary beach closures.
  7. The approval and subsequent litigation over the joint operating agreement (JOA) between The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. The papers, rivals for 115 years, combined business operations. The JOA was approved by Attorney General Edwin Meese in August 1988.
  8. The trial and conviction of Alberta Easter and her three sons (William, George and Roy Lemons) for the July 1987 Inkster police slayings in which three Inkster police officers (Sgt. Ira Parker and officers Daniel Dubiel and Clay Hoover) were killed in a hail of gunfire inside a room at the Bungalow Motel. The officers were trying to serve a warrant on Easter for writing a bad check. After a 13-week trial, the jury in August 1988 found all four guilty of first-degree murder
  9. The war against crack cocaine in Detroit, including raids on hundreds of crackhouses and trials and convictions of Richard Wershe Jr. ("White Boy Rick") and the Chambers Brothers gang.
  10. The 10-day hunt for Vincent Loonsfoot through Upper Peninsula woods. Loonsfoort was wanted for fatally shooting four members of his ex-wife's family at the Hannahville Indian Reservation near Escanaba. Loonsfoot eventually surrendered. He was convicted on four counts of first-degree murder in December 1988.

The AP voting was conducted prior to the December 23 crash of Pan Am Flight 103 en route from Frankfurt and London to Detroit.

The AP also conducted a poll of Michigan sports editors who selected the state's top sports stories as follows:[3]

  1. The 1987–88 Detroit Pistons defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA semifinals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games of the 1988 NBA Finals.
  2. The 1987 Michigan State Spartans football team's 20–17 victory over USC in the 1988 Rose Bowl.
  3. The 1987–88 Detroit Red Wings advancing the Stanley Cup semifinals where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in five games.
  4. Kirk Gibson's signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  5. The Detroit Tigers finishing in second place by one game in the American League East.
  6. The Detroit Lions' firing of Darryl Rogers and replacing him with Wayne Fontes.
  7. Flint native Jim Abbott leading the US baseball team in the baseball competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
  8. The 1988 Michigan Wolverines football team winning the Big Ten championship and earning a berth in the 1989 Rose Bowl.
  9. Steve Yzerman emerging as a star with a 50-goal season.
  10. The Red Wings' suspension of Bob Probert and Petr Klíma and their rejoining the team in November.

In a separate poll by the Detroit Free Press, readers selected the top sports figures of 1988. The top 10 were Steve Yzerman (162 points), Jim Abbott (117 points), kayaker and 2x gold medalist Greg Barton (82 points), Traverse City football coach Jim Ooley (81 points), Central Michigan basketball player Dan Majerle (70 points), Isiah Thomas (57 points), Farmington Hills quarterback Mill Coleman (52 points), Kirk Gibson (44 points), Bo Schembechler (35 points), and Steve Avery (Steve Avery (baseball)[4] or Steve Avery (American football)[5]?) (33 points).[6]

Office holders

State office holders

Gov. Blanchard

Mayors of major cities

Federal office holders

Sen. Levin

Population

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

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
1DetroitWayne1,514,0631,203,3681,027,974−14.6% Decrease
2Grand RapidsKent197,649181,843189,1264.0% Increase
3WarrenMacomb179,260161,134144,864−10.1% Decrease
4FlintGenesee193,317159,611140,761−11.8% Decrease
5LansingIngham131,403130,414127,321−2.4% Decrease
6Sterling HeightsMacomb61,365108,999117,8108.1% Increase
7Ann ArborWashtenaw100,035107,969109,5921.5% Increase
8LivoniaWayne110,109104,814100,850−3.8% Decrease
9DearbornWayne104,19990,66089,286−1.5%Decrease
10WestlandWayne86,74984,60384,7240.1% Increase
11KalamazooKalamazoo85,55579,72280,2770.7% Increase
12TaylorWayne70,02077,56870,811−8.7% Decrease
13SaginawSaginaw91,84977,50869,512−10.3% Decrease
14PontiacOakland85,27976,71571,166−7.2% Decrease
15St. Clair ShoresMacomb88,09376,21068,107−10.6% Decrease
16SouthfieldOakland69,29875,60875,7450.2% Increase
17Royal OakOakland86,23870,89365,410−7.7% Decrease
18Dearborn HeightsWayne80,06967,70660,838−10.1% Decrease
19TroyOakland39,41967,10272,8848.6% Increase
20WyomingKent56,56059,61663,8917.2% Increase
21Farmington HillsOakland--58,05674,61128.5% Increase
22RosevilleMacomb60,52954,31151,412−5.3% Decrease
23East LansingIngham47,54051,39250,677−1.4% Decrease

Counties

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
1WayneDetroit2,666,7512,337,8912,111,687−9.7% Decrease
2OaklandPontiac907,8711,011,7931,083,5927.1% Increase
3MacombWarren625,309694,600717,4003.3% Increase
4GeneseeFlint444,341450,449430,459−4.4% Decrease
5KentGrand Rapids411,044444,506500,63112.6% Increase
6InghamLansing261,039275,520281,9122.3% Increase
7WashtenawAnn Arbor234,103264,748282,9376.9% Increase
8SaginawSaginaw219,743228,059211,946−7.1% Decrease
9KalamazooKalamazoo201,550212,378223,4115.2% Increase
10BerrienBenton Harbor163,875171,276161,378−5.8% Decrease
11MuskegonMuskegon157,426157,589158,9830.9% Increase
12OttawaHolland128,181157,174187,76819.5% Increase
13JacksonJackson143,274151,495149,756−1.1% Decrease
14CalhounBattle Creek141,963141,557135,982−3.9% Decrease
15St. ClairPort Huron120,175138,802145,6074.9% Increase
16MonroeMonroe118,479134,659133,600−0.8% Decrease
17BayBay City117,339119,881111,723−6.8% Decrease
18LivingstonHowell58,967100,289115,64515.3% Increase

Sports

Baseball

American football

Basketball

Ice hockey

Music and culture

The Supremes 1966

Chronology of events

January

February

  • February 4 - "White Boy Rick" Wershe sentenced to life in prison.[22]
  • February 12 - Detroit Mayor Coleman Young appointed a commission to study casino gambling in the city.[23]
  • February 18 - Ford reported a $4.6 billion profit for 1987, the largest profit ever reported by an automobile company.[24] Workers received average profit-sharing payout of $3,700.[25]
  • February 24 - Lee Iacocca said he would probably accept if nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for President.[26]

March

May

  • May 29 - Detroit archbishop Edmund Szoka elevated to cardinal.[31] The formal elevation ceremony took place in Rome on June 28.[32]

June

  • June 8 - Detroit's Casino Gambling Study Commission voted in favor of casinos in Detroit.
  • June 10 - James Duderstadt appointed president of the University of Michigan.[33]
  • June 15 - A suspended police officer, Henry Jones, age 24, went on shooting rampage in Detroit, killing three and then killing self.
  • June 21 - Pistons lost Game 7 of NBA Finals to the Lakers.[34]
  • June 25 - Record high of 104 for the date in Detroit. One degree short of the city's all-timee high temperature.
  • June 28 - Motown Records sold for $61 million to MCA inc. and an investment banking firm, Boston Ventures. Berry Gordy retained the company's sheet music business, Jobete Music Corp, and its film business, Gordy Co.[35]

July

August

  • August 2 - Voters rejected proposal for casino gambling in Detroit.[36]
  • August 5 - As heat wave continued, leaving five dead in Detroit.[37]
  • August 8 - After a 13-week trial, Alberta Easter and her three sons were all found guilty of first-degree murder in the Inkster police slayings.[38]
  • August 13 - The Palace of Auburn Hills, built at a cost of $70 million opened with Sting playing the inaugural show before a capacity crowd of 16,587.[39]

September

  • September 5 - Michael Dukakis speech at Detroit's traditional Labor Day celebration in Detroit. Dan Quayle speech in Hamtramck.
  • September - Medical waste washed up on Lake Michigan shoreline, forcing closure of beaches in Oceana County.
  • September 14 - Judge in Inkster police slayings sentences Alberta Easter and her three sons to life in prison and ordered them to be separated for life.
  • September 28 - Detroit archbishop Edmund Szoka announces plan to close 43 urban parishes in order to cope with flight of Catholics from the core city.
  • September 28 - Jim Abbott was the winning pitcher in Team USA's gold medal game with Japan at the Summer Olympics in Seoul.
  • September 30 - Greg Barton of Homer, Michigan, became the first American to win a gold medal in kayaking.[40]

October

  • October 8 - Michigan defeated Michigan State, 17-3, in annual rivalry game.[41]
  • October 11 - Six killed and ten injured in crash of a tanker plane at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan.[42]
  • October 15 - Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series home run
  • October 17 - Mentally ill gunmen Charles Knowles kills two Detroit police officers (Lt. James Schmit, 41, and Officer Frank Wills, 39) and is then killed in shootout on Detroit's east side.[43]
  • October 18 - Denny McLain pleaded guilty to federal racketeering and drug charges.[44]
  • October 19 - Judge Carol Irons shot and killed by ex-husband in her Grand Rapids chambers.[45]
  • October 21 - Detroit Lions defensive lineman Reggie Rogers charged with three counts of manslaughter in death of three teenagers in traffic accident in Pontiac.[46]

November

Donald Riegle
  • November 1 - "Father Irish", a man who accepted money while posing as a priest at the scene of Northwest Airlines Flight 255, was detained in Canada.[47][48]
  • November 8 - Election day in Michigan:
  • George W. Bush defeated Michael Dukakis in Michigan by a margin of 51.5% to 48.5%.
  • U.S. Senator Donald Riegle defeated Republican challenger James Whitney Dunn by a margin of 60% to 39%.
  • Proposition A banning use of tax funds for abortion for persons receiving public assistance passed by 53% to 47%.

[49]

December

Wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 in Lockerbie.
  • December 14 - Linebacker Mike Cofer and punter Jim Arnold named to the Pro Bowl.
  • December 21 - Pan Am Flight 103, en route from Frankfurt to Detroit, was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie after a stopover in London. All 243 passengers and 16 crew were killed. Michigan victims included:
  • Jim Fuller, 50, vice president in charge of Volkswagen United States;
  • Lou Marengo, 33, executive with Volkswagen United States;
  • LaWanna Thomas, 21, an Air Force sergeant and her two-month-old son, Jonathan, traveling to spend the holidays with her family in Southfield;
  • Arva Anthony Thomas, 17, returning to Detroit from a fall semester studying in West Germany;
  • Charles T. Fisher IV, 34, a London banker and son of National Bank of Detroit president Charles "Chick" Fisher;
  • Gregory Kosmowski, 40, an executive with Lucas Industries in Troy;
  • Pamela Herbert, 19, a Cranbrook graduate who grew up in northwest Detroit, returning from a fall semester studying in London;
  • Mary Smith, 34, an Army sergeant from Kalamazoo flying home for Christmas;
  • Kenneth Gibson, 20, an Army corporal stationed in Germany returning to spend holidays with family in Romulus;
  • Lawrence Bennett, 41, a Parke-Davis manager of clinical research from Lima Township;[53]
  • Diane Boatmon-Fuller, 35, a playwright who moved to London in January and was returning for a surprise visit with family;[54] and
  • Khalid Jaafar, 21, a Lebanese-American man.[55]
The Four Tops (Levi Stubbs, Duke Fakir, Obie Benson, and Lawrence Payton) were booked on the flight but finished a television taping session in London too late to catch the flight.[56]

Births

Deaths

See also

References

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