Events from the year 1961 in Michigan.

1961
in
Michigan

Decades:
See also:

The top stories in Michigan in 1961, as selected by Associated Press newspaper, radio, and television editors,[1] were as follows: (1) the opening of the state's Constitutional Convention; (2) the negotiations between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and automobile manufacturers; (3) the Detroit Tigers' bid for the American League pennant with 101 wins during the 1961 season;[2] (4) the Republican party's victory in an October 1961 election for control of the Constitutional Convention; (5) the November 7 election of Jerome Cavanagh, a 33-year-old attorney, over the incumbent, Louis Miriani, as Mayor of Detroit;[3] (6) Chrysler Corporation's legal troubles arising from the removal of William Newberg as president and the ouster of L. L. Colbert as CEO; (7) "Tractors for Freedom", a Detroit-based campaign led by Walter Reuther, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Milton S. Eisenhower that raised money in May and June 1961 in an effort to trade 500 tractors to Cuba in exchange for the freedom of 1,214 rebel prisoners captured at the Bay of Pigs Invasion;[4][5] (8) the proposal to create a national recreation area at Sleeping Bear Dunes; (9) the failed prosecution and trial of Gordon Watson and Nelle Lassiter for the murder of her husband, Parvin "Bill" Lassiter;[6] and (10) the closure by Norge, a division of Borg-Warner, of its factory in Muskegon Heights and relocation of manufacturing operations Fort Smith, Arkansas.[7]

Office holders

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Gov Swainson

State office holders

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Mayors of major cities

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Mayor Miriani

Federal office holders

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Sen. McNamara
 
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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Norm Cash

American football

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Dave Raimey

Basketball

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Dave DeBusschere

Ice hockey

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Norm Ullman

Golf

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Boat racing

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  • Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race – The Sixth Girl was the 28th boat to cross the finish line but was declared the winner on July 24 based on its nine-hour handicap. The Dyna, out of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, was the first boat to cross the finish line.[33]
  • APBA Gold Cup - Despite failing to win a single heat, Bill Muncey, a Detroit native driving the Miss Century 21 Thriftway Stores, won his third Gold Cup race, the unlimited hydroplane world championship, on Pyramid Lake in Nevada on August 28.[34] Muncey won a total of eight Gold Cup races between 1956 and 1979.
  • Silver Cup Race - Bob Hayward, the world power boat champion, was killed when his boat, the Miss Supertest II, crashed in the third heat of the Silver Cup Race on the Detroit River on September 10.[35] Ron Musson won the race in his boat, the Miss Bardahl.[36] The Miss Bardahl went on to win five of six Gold Cup races between 1963 and 1968.

Music

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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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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. ^ "Michigan AP Editors Pick Con-Con as State's Top News Story of Year". The Ludington Daily News. December 27, 1961. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c "1961 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  3. ^ "Miriani Trounced in Upset: It's Mayor Cavanagh!". Detroit Free Press. November 8, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Tractors-for-Freedom Gifts Rising". Battle Creek Enquirer. June 4, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Tractor Team Finds Hospitality in Cuba". Detroit Free Press. June 14, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Watson Acquitted; Trial for Nelle Believed Unlikely". Detroit Free Press. June 6, 1961. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Jobs End At Norge". Lansing State Journal. July 29, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "1961 MLB Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  9. ^ "1961 MLB Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  10. ^ "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 12, 2017.
  11. ^ 2012 Record Book, p. 13.
  12. ^ a b 2012 Record Book, p. 23.
  13. ^ "1961 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  14. ^ "1961 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  15. ^ "1961 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  16. ^ "1961 Detroit Mercy Titans Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  17. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  18. ^ "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 12, 2017.
  19. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Wayne State University. pp. 111, 114. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  20. ^ "2014 Digital Media Guide: Eastern Michigan University" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 169, 176. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  21. ^ "1960–61 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  22. ^ "1960–61 Detroit Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  23. ^ "1960–61 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  24. ^ "1960–61 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  25. ^ "1960–61 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  26. ^ "1960–61 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  27. ^ "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  28. ^ "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  29. ^ "Michigan State Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  30. ^ "Littler Captures Open Before Record 20,439". Detroit Free Press. June 18, 1961. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Burke's 71 Captures Buick Open Playoff". Detroit Free Press. July 4, 1961. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Barnum Keeps State Open Golf Crown". The Holland, Michigan, Evening Sentinel. August 22, 1961. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Chicago Boat Race Winner". Port Huron Times Herald. July 24, 1961. pp. 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Century Strikes Gold: 2nd Places Win Cup for Muncey". Detroit Free Press. August 29, 1961. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Racing Ace Hayward Killed as Boat Flips". Detroit Free Press. September 11, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Miss Bardahl Is the Winner Of Fatal Silver Cup Race". Detroit Free Press. September 11, 1961. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Negro Named to Supreme Court: Swainson Appoints Otis Smith". Lansing State Journal. October 9, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Tiger Ace Schoolboy Rowe Dies". Detroit Free Press. January 9, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "Pottery, Tile Artist Dies at 94". Detroit Free Press. April 16, 1961. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "'Greatest Tiger' Ty Cobb Dead Of Cancer at 74". Detroit Free Press. July 18, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Famed Architect Saarinen Is Dead". Detroit Free Press. September 2, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ "Nation Mourns Wilson; Leaders Voice Tribute; Heart Fails Industrialist in South". Detroit Free Press. September 27, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ "Ex-Congressman Sadowski Dies". Detroit Free Press. October 10, 1961. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ "Rep. Rabaut Dies At Democrat Fete: Heart Fails Politician, 74". Detroit Free Press. November 13, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  45. ^ "Tommy Hughitt Dies in Florida". The Escanaba Daily Press. December 29, 1961. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.