1946 in Michigan
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Events from the year 1946 in Michigan.
Top stories
The Associated Press polled editors of its member newspapers in Michigan and ranked the state's top news stories of 1946 as follows:[1]
- Kim Sigler. Sigler's year began as special prosecutor pursuing government corruption. After 28 months in that position, he was fired in March 1946 and ran for Governor. A former Democrat, he won the Republican nomination for Governor in a close and bitter four-way contest. He then won the general election in November by a plurality of more than 350,000 votes, the largest margin for a Michigan Governor in a non-presidential year.
- The March 13 settlement of a 113-day strike by the CIO-UAW against General Motors.
- Numerous post-war problems in the automobile industry, including shortages, layoffs, and labor disputes.
- Tornadoes that struck Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, on June 17 and June 27, killing 15 and injuring scores.
- The July 20 indictment of 19 men for conspiring to block passage of Michigan's anti-branch bank bill.
- The inquiry and hearing leading to the firing of the warden of the Jackson State Prison following evidence of "high life, favoritism and immorality" at the prison.
- The trial and February 14 acquittal of former Republican national committeeman Frank McKay on charges of corrupting the state liquor control commission.
- The November 13 explosion of a water tank at a school in Baroda, killing one child and endangering 260.
- The February 18 elevation of Detroit Archbishop Edward Aloysius Mooney to the status of cardinal.
- A March 9 blizzard that sent 30 to 40 feet of ice floes ashore destroying 55 cottages near Bay City.
Other stories receiving votes but falling outside the top ten included the following:
- The CIO-National Maritime Union Great Lakes shipping strike;
- The death of Fielding H. Yost;
- OPA exposure of a $3 million black market for cars based in Michigan;
- The trial and conviction of Anthony Lobaido for the rape and slashing of a Detroit child;
- Celebration of the automobile's golden jubilee;
- The Detroit Tigers' second-place finish in the American League; and
- The squabble between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University over football dates.
Office holders
State office holders
- Governor of Michigan: Harry Kelly (Republican)
- Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Vernon J. Brown (Republican)
- Michigan Attorney General: John R. Dethmers (Republican)/Foss O. Eldred (Republican)
- Michigan Secretary of State: Herman H. Dignan (Republican)
- Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Howard Nugent (Republican)
- Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court:
Mayors of major cities
- Mayor of Detroit: Edward Jeffries (Republican)
- Mayor of Grand Rapids: George W. Welsh (Republican)
- Mayor of Flint: Edwin C. McLogan/Edward J. Viall
- Mayor of Saginaw: Harold J. Stenglein
- Mayor of Lansing: Ralph Crego
Federal office holders
- U.S. Senator from Michigan: Homer S. Ferguson (Republican)
- U.S. Senator from Michigan: Arthur Vandenberg (Republican)
- House District 1: George G. Sadowski (Democrat)
- House District 2: Earl C. Michener (Republican)
- House District 3: Paul W. Shafer (Republican)
- House District 4: Clare Hoffman (Republican)
- House District 5: Bartel J. Jonkman (Republican)
- House District 6: William W. Blackney (Republican)
- House District 7: Jesse P. Wolcott (Republican)
- House District 8: Fred L. Crawford (Republican)
- House District 9: Albert J. Engel (Republican)
- House District 10: Roy O. Woodruff (Republican)
- House District 11: Frederick Van Ness Bradley (Republican)
- House District 12: Frank Eugene Hook (Democrat)
- House District 13: George D. O'Brien (Democrat)
- House District 14: Louis C. Rabaut (Democrat)
- House District 15: John D. Dingell Sr. (Democrat)
- House District 16: John Lesinski Sr. (Democrat)
- House District 17: George Anthony Dondero (Republican)
Population
In the 1940 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 5,256,106, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1950, Michigan's population had increased by 21.2% to 6,371,766.
Cities
The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 20,000 based on 1940 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1930 and 1950 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.
1940 Rank |
City | County | 1940 Pop. | 1946 Est. | 1950 Pop. | Change 1940-50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Detroit | Wayne | 1,623,452 | 1,815,000[2] | 1,849,568 | 13.9% |
2 | Grand Rapids | Kent | 164,292 | 176,515 | 7.4% | |
3 | Flint | Genesee | 151,543 | 163,143 | 7.7% | |
4 | Saginaw | Saginaw | 82,794 | 92,918 | 12.2% | |
5 | Lansing | Ingham | 78,753 | 90,000[3] | 92,129 | 17.0% |
6 | Pontiac | Oakland | 66,626 | 73,681 | 10.6% | |
7 | Dearborn | Wayne | 63,589 | 94,994 | 49.4% | |
8 | Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo | 54,097 | 57,704 | 6.7% | |
9 | Highland Park | Wayne | 50,810 | 46,393 | −8.7% | |
10 | Hamtramck | Wayne | 49,839 | 48,938[4] | 43,555 | −12.6% |
11 | Jackson | Jackson | 49,656 | 51,088 | 2.9% | |
12 | Bay City | Bay | 47,956 | 52,523 | 9.5% | |
13 | Muskegon | Muskegon | 47,697 | 48,429 | 1.5% | |
14 | Battle Creek | Calhoun | 43,453 | 48,666 | 12.0% | |
15 | Port Huron | St. Clair | 32,759 | 35,725 | 9.1% | |
16 | Wyandotte | Wayne | 30,618 | 36,846 | 20.3% | |
17 | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | 29,815 | 48,251 | 61.8% | |
18 | Royal Oak | Oakland | 25,087 | 46,898 | 86.9% | |
19 | Ferndale | Oakland | 22,523 | 29,675 | 31.8% |
Counties
The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 75,000 based on 1940 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1930 and 1950 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases.
1940 Rank |
County | Largest city | 1930 Pop. | 1940 Pop. | 1950 Pop. | Change 1940-50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wayne | Detroit | 1,888,946 | 2,015,623 | 2,435,235 | 20.8% |
2 | Oakland | Pontiac | 211,251 | 254,068 | 396,001 | 55.9% |
3 | Kent | Grand Rapids | 240,511 | 246,338 | 288,292 | 17.0% |
4 | Genesee | Flint | 211,641 | 227,944 | 270,963 | 18.9% |
5 | Ingham | Lansing | 116,587 | 130,616 | 172,941 | 32.4% |
6 | Saginaw | Saginaw | 120,717 | 130,468 | 153,515 | 17.7% |
7 | Macomb | Warren | 77,146 | 107,638 | 184,961 | 71.8% |
8 | Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo | 91,368 | 100,085 | 126,707 | 26.6% |
9 | Jackson | Jackson | 92,304 | 93,108 | 108,168 | 16.2% |
10 | Muskegon | Muskegon | 84,630 | 94,501 | 121,545 | 28.6% |
11 | Calhoun | Battle Creek | 87,043 | 94,206 | 120,813 | 28.2% |
Companies
The following is a list of major companies based in Michigan in 1946.
Company | 1946 sales (millions) | 1946 net earnings (millions) | Headquarters | Core business |
---|---|---|---|---|
General Motors | Detroit | Automobiles | ||
Ford Motor Company | na | na[5] | Automobiles | |
Chrysler | Automobiles | |||
Studebaker Corp. | Automobiles | |||
Briggs Mfg. Co. | Detroit | Automobile parts supplier | ||
S. S. Kresge | Retail | |||
Hudson Motor Car Co. | Detroit | Automobiles | ||
Detroit Edison | Electric utility | |||
Michigan Bell | Telephone utility | |||
Kellogg's | Battle Creek | Breakfast cereal | ||
Parke-Davis | Detroit | Pharmaceutical | ||
REO Motor Car Co. | Lansing | Automobiles | ||
Burroughs Adding Machine | Business machines |
Sports
Baseball
- 1946 Detroit Tigers season –
- 1946 Michigan Wolverines baseball season - Under head coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverines compiled an 18–3 record and finished second in the Big Ten Conference.[6] Bliss Bowman was the team captain.[7]
American football
- 1946 Detroit Lions season – [8]
- 1946 Michigan Wolverines football team – [9]
- 1946 Michigan State Spartans football team – [10]
- 1946 Detroit Titans football team – [11]
Basketball
Ice hockey
Boat racing
Boxing
Golfing
Other
Chronology of events
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (May 2020) |
Births
- April 12 - Lewis N. Dodak, 63rd Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives (1989-1992), in Saginaw County
- June 18 - Bruiser Brody, professional wrestler infamous for his wild and legit uncooperative demeanor, in Detroit
- July 22 - Paul Schrader, screenwriter (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) and film director (American Gigolo), in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- October 17 - Herb Orvis, defensive tackle in the NFL (1972–1981), in Petoskey, Michigan
Deaths
- August 26 - Fielding H. Yost, University of Michigan football coach (1901–1926), at age 75 in Ann Arbor
- October 4 - Barney Oldfield, automobile racer, at age 68 in Beverly Hills, California
See also
References
- ^ "Sigler Tops News List". The Lansing State Journal. December 29, 1946. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "L.A. Gives the Count to Detroit". Detroit Free Press. July 28, 1946. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "City Needs 7,000 Homes". Lansing State Journal. March 10, 1946. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Unusual Statistics Of State Revealed". Lansing State Journal. January 25, 1946. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ford was a privately held company until 1956. Accordingly, its financial results for 1946 were not made public.
- ^ "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 71. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ^ 2012 Record Book, p. 13.
- ^ "1946 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
- ^ "1946 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- ^ "1946 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
- ^ "1946 Detroit Mercy Titans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 23, 2015.