1954 in Michigan

Events from the year 1954 in Michigan.

Top stories

The Associated Press[1] United Press[2] and Detroit Free Press,[3] each separately ranked the state's top news stories of 1954 as follows:

  • Democrat election victory. Landslide victory by Democrats in the November election, including Patrick V. McNamara's defeat of U.S. Senator Homer Ferguson and Governor G. Mennen Williams' election to a fourth term (AP#1, 217 points; UP#1; DFP#1)
  • Mackinac Bridge. The start of construction on the Mackinac Bridge (AP#2, 162 points; UP#2; DFP#10)
  • Small acquittal. The acquittal of Dr. Kenneth Small on charges that he murdered New York playboy Jules Lack, who was having an affair with Small's wife, at a Lake Michigan vacation home near Douglas, Michigan (AP#3, 153 points; UP#3; DFP#2)
  • Death of Sen. Moody. On July 20 death, U.S. Senator Blair Moody died from chronic viral pneumonia and heart failure at University Hospital in Ann Arbor at age 52[4] (AP#4; DFP#5)
  • Escape from Jackson. The escape of 13 inmates, with two women as hostages, from Michigan State Prison in Jackson (AP#5)
  • State equalization. A decision of the Michigan Supreme Court making state equalization the basis for local property taxes (AP#6)
  • Donald Ritchie. Donald Ritchie's false confession to the 1948 attempted assassination of Walter Reuther (AP#7; DFP#6)
  • Automotive merger. The merger of independent automobile makers, including Studebaker, Packard, and Hudson, to become more competitive with the Big Three (AP#8; DFP#3)
  • Bingo vote. The November 2 vote against legalizing bingo (AP#9)
  • "Bird dog" controversy. Secretary of Defense C.E. Wilson's drew criticism for his October 11 comments about unemployment: "I have always liked bird dogs better than kennel-fed dogs. The bird dog is one that will go out and hunt for its food. The kennel-fed dog is one that waits until it is brought to him. (AP#10; DFP#8)
  • Automobile production race, including Chrysler "face-lifting" (DFP#4)
  • Judge John P. O'Hara's grand jury investigation of police (DFP#7)
  • The murder of a four-year-old girl by 15-year-old Terrance DeMoss (DFP#9)

Office holders

State office holders

Mayors of major cities

Federal office holders

Population

In the 1950 United States Census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 6,421,000 persons, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1960, the state's population had grown 22.8% to 7,823,194 persons.

Cities

The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 40,000 based on 1950 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1940 and 1960 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

1950
Rank
City County 1940 Pop. 1950 Pop. 1960 Pop. Change 1950-60
1DetroitWayne1,623,4521,849,5681,670,144−9.7%
2Grand RapidsKent164,292176,515177,3130.5%
3FlintGenesee151,543163,143196,94020.7%
4DearbornWayne63,58994,994112,00717.9%
5SaginawSaginaw82,79492,91898,2655.8%
6LansingIngham78,75392,129107,80717.0%
7PontiacOakland66,62673,68182,23311.6%
8KalamazooKalamazoo54,09757,70482,08942.4%
9Bay CityBay47,95652,52353,6042.1%
10JacksonJackson49,65651,08850,720−0.7%
11Battle CreekCalhoun43,45348,66644,169−9.2%
12MuskegonMuskegon47,69748,42946,485−4.0%
13Ann ArborWashtenaw29,81548,25167,34039.6%
14Royal OakOakland25,08746,89880,61271.9%
15WarrenMacomb23,65842,65389,246109.2%

Counties

The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 100,000 based on 1950 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1940 and 1960 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 1940 Pop. 1950 Pop. 1960 Pop. Change 1950-60
1WayneDetroit2,015,6232,435,2352,666,2979.5%
2OaklandPontiac254,068396,001690,25974.3%
3KentGrand Rapids246,338288,292363,18726.0%
4GeneseeFlint227,944270,963374,31338.1%
5MacombWarren107,638184,961405,804119.4%
6InghamLansing130,616172,941211,29622.2%
7SaginawSaginaw130,468153,515190,75224.3%
8WashtenawAnn Arbor80,810134,606172,44028.1%
9KalamazooKalamazoo100,085126,707169,71233.9%
10MuskegonMuskegon94,501121,545129,9436.9%
11CalhounBattle Creek94,206120,813138,85814.9%
12BerrienBenton Harbor89,117115,702149,86529.5%
13JacksonJackson93,108108,168131,99422.0%

Sports

Baseball

American football

Basketball

Ice hockey

Boat racing

Golfing

Chronology of events

November

Births

Deaths

  • May 3 - Philip Bartelme, athletic director of the University of Michigan (1909-1921), credited with bringing basketball, hockey and swimming to varsity status, at age 77 in Carmel, California
  • July 20 - Blair Moody, United States Senator from Michigan (1951-1952), at age 52 in Ann Arbor

See also

References

  1. "Democrat Victory Topped State News". The Herald-Press. December 31, 1954. p. II-8 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Democratic Sweep Of State Offices Rated Top Story". The Holland Evening Sentinel. December 28, 1954. p. 5.
  3. "Year's Top Stories". Detroit Free Press. December 26, 1954. p. 13 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Blair Moody Dies At 52". Detroit Free Press. July 21, 1954. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "1954 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  6. "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 71. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  7. 2012 Record Book, p. 13.
  8. "1954 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  9. "1954 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  10. "1954 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  11. "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 110. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  12. "1954 Detroit Mercy Titans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  13. "2014 Digital Media Guide: Eastern Michigan University" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 169, 176. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  14. "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  15. "1953–54 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  16. "University of Michigan Basketball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. p. 31.
  17. "1953–54 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  18. "1953–54 Detroit Titans Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  19. "1953–54 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  20. "1953–54 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  21. "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  22. "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  23. "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  24. "Legislator Details - Robert Daniel Mahoney". Library of Michigan. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
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