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    1939 in Michigan

    From Wikipedia - Reading time: 12 min

    • 1938
    • 1937
    • 1936
    1939
    in
    Michigan

    • 1940
    • 1941
    • 1942
    Decades:
    • 1910s
    • 1920s
    • 1930s
    • 1940s
    • 1950s
    See also:
    • History of Michigan
    • Historical outline of Michigan
    • List of years in Michigan
    • 1939 in the United States

    Events from the year 1939 in Michigan.

    Office holders

    [edit]

    State office holders

    [edit]
    Gov. Luren Dickinson
    • Governor of Michigan: Frank Fitzgerald (Republican)/Luren Dickinson (Republican)
    • Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Luren D. Dickinson (Republican)
    • Michigan Attorney General: Thomas Read (Republican)
    • Michigan Secretary of State: Harry Kelly (Republican)
    • Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Howard Nugent (Republican)
    • Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Henry M. Butzel

    Mayors of major cities

    [edit]
    Mayor Richard Reading
    • Mayor of Detroit: Richard Reading (Republican)
    • Mayor of Grand Rapids: George W. Welsh
    • Mayor of Flint: Harry M. Comins
    • Mayor of Dearborn: John Carey
    • Mayor of Saginaw: Francis J. McDonald/John W. Symons, Jr.
    • Mayor of Lansing: Max A. Templeton
    • Mayor of Ann Arbor: Walter C. Sadler

    Federal office holders

    [edit]
    Sen. Arthur Vandenberg
    • U.S. Senator from Michigan: Prentiss M. Brown (Democrat)
    • U.S. Senator from Michigan: Arthur Vandenberg (Republican)
    • House District 1: Rudolph G. Tenerowicz (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: Clarence J. McLeod (Republican)
    • 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

    [edit]

    In the 1930 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 4,842,325, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1940, Michigan's population had increased by 8.5% to 5,256,106.

    Cities

    [edit]

    The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 20,000 based on 1930 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1920 and 1940 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.

    1930
    Rank
    City County 1920 Pop. 1930 Pop. 1940 Pop. Change 1930-40
    1 Detroit Wayne 993,678 1,568,662 1,623,452 3.5%
    2 Grand Rapids Kent 137,634 168,592 164,292 −2.6%
    3 Flint Genesee 91,599 156,492 151,543 −3.2%
    4 Saginaw Saginaw 61,903 80,715 82,794 2.6%
    5 Lansing Ingham 57,327 78,397 78,753 0.5%
    6 Pontiac Oakland 34,273 64,928 66,626 2.6%
    7 Hamtramck Wayne 48,615 56,268 49,839 −11.4%
    8 Jackson Jackson 48,374 55,187 49,656 −10.0%
    9 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 48,487 54,786 54,097 −1.3%
    10 Highland Park Wayne 46,499 52,959 50,810 −4.1%
    11 Dearborn Wayne 2,470 50,358 63,589 26.3%
    12 Bay City Bay 47,554 47,355 47,956 1.3%
    13 Battle Creek Calhoun 36,164 45,573 43,453 −4.7%
    14 Muskegon Muskegon 36,570 41,390 47,697 15.2%
    15 Port Huron St. Clair 25,944 31,361 32,759 4.5%
    16 Wyandotte Wayne 13,851 28,368 30,618 7.9%
    17 Ann Arbor Washtenaw 19,516 26,944 29,815 10.7%
    18 Royal Oak Oakland 6,007 22,904 25,087 9.5%
    19 Ferndale Oakland 2,640 20,855 22,523 8.0%

    [1]

    Counties

    [edit]

    The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 50,000 based on 1930 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1920 and 1940 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases.

    1930
    Rank
    County Largest city 1920 Pop. 1930 Pop. 1940 Pop. Change 1930-40
    1 Wayne Detroit 1,177,645 1,888,946 2,015,623 6.7%
    2 Kent Grand Rapids 183,041 240,511 246,338 2.4%
    3 Genesee Flint 125,668 211,641 227,944 7.7%
    4 Oakland Pontiac 90,050 211,251 254,068 20.3%
    5 Saginaw Saginaw 100,286 120,717 130,468 8.1%
    6 Ingham Lansing 81,554 116,587 130,616 12.0%
    7 Jackson Jackson 72,539 92,304 93,108 0.9%
    8 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo 71,225 91,368 100,085 9.5%
    9 Calhoun Battle Creek 72,918 87,043 94,206 8.2%
    10 Muskegon Muskegon 62,362 84,630 94,501 11.7%
    11 Berrien Benton Harbor 62,653 81,066 89,117 9.9%
    12 Macomb Warren 38,103 77,146 107,638 39.5%
    13 Bay Bay City 69,548 69,474 74,981 7.9%
    14 St. Clair Port Huron 58,009 67,563 76,222 12.8%
    15 Washtenaw Ann Arbor 49,520 65,530 80,810 23.3%
    16 Ottawa Holland 47,660 54,858 59,660 8.8%
    17 Houghton Houghton 71,930 52,851 47,631 −9.9%
    18 Monroe Monroe 37,115 52,485 58,620 11.7%
    19 Lenawee Adrian 47,767 49,849 53,110 6.5%

    [2]

    Sports

    [edit]

    Baseball

    [edit]
    Hank Greenberg
    • 1939 Detroit Tigers season – Under manager Del Baker, the Tigers compiled an 81-73 record and finished in fifth place in the American League. The team's statistical leaders included Charlie Gehringer with a .325 batting average, Hank Greenberg with 33 home runs and 113 RBIs, Tommy Bridges and Bobo Newsom with 17 wins each, and Newsom with a 3.37 earned run average.[3]
    • 1939 Michigan Wolverines baseball season - Under head coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverines compiled an 18–9–2 record.[4] Walter Peckinpaugh was the team captain.[5]

    American football

    [edit]
    Tom Harmon
    • 1939 Detroit Lions season – Under head coach Gus Henderson, the Lions compiled a 6–5 record and placed third in the NFL's Western Division. The team's statistical leaders included Dwight Sloan with 658 passing yards, Bill Shepherd with 420 rushing yards, and Chuck Hanneman with 257 receiving yards and 29 points scored.[6]
    • 1939 Michigan Wolverines football team – Under head coach Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines compiled a 6–2 record, tied for fourth place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked No. 20 in the final AP Poll.[7] Tom Harmon was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player and was also named a consensus All-American.
    • 1939 Michigan State Spartans football team – Under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 4–4–1 record.[8]
    • 1939 Detroit Titans football team – The Titans compiled a 5–3–1 record under head coach Gus Dorais.[9]
    • 1939 Central Michigan Bearcats football team - Under head coach Ron Finch the Bercats compiled an 8–1 record.[10]
    • 1938 Western State Hilltoppers football team - Under head coach Mike Gary, the Hilltoppers compiled a 2–6–1 record.[11]
    • 1939 Michigan State Normal Hurons football team - Under head coach Elton Rynearson, the Hurons compiled a 3–3–1 record.[12]
    • 1939 Wayne Tartars football team – The Tartars compiled a 4–5 record under head coach Joe Gembis.[13]

    Basketball

    [edit]
    • 1938–39 Detroit Titans men's basketball team – Under head coach Lloyd Brazil, the Titans compiled a 15–5 record.[14]
    • 1938–39 Wayne Tartars men's basketball team – Under coach Newman Ertell, Wayne compiled a 14–5 record.[15]
    • 1938–39 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team – Under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines compiled an 11–9 record.[16]
    • 1938–39 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team – Under head coach Benjamin Van Alstyne, the Spartans compiled a 9–8 record.[17]
    • 1938–39 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team – Under head coach Buck Read, the Broncos compiled a 7–10 record.[18]

    Ice hockey

    [edit]
    Syd Howe
    • 1938–39 Detroit Red Wings season – Under coach Jack Adams, the Red Wings compiled an 18–24–6 record and finished in fifth place in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team's statistical leaders included Syd Howe with 16 goals, Marty Barry and 41 points. Tiny Thompson was the team's goaltender.[19]
    • 1938–39 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team – Under head coach Ed Lowrey, the Wolverines compiled an 8–8–2 record.[20]
    • 1938–39 Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey team – Under head coach Ed Maki, the Huskies compiled a 6–8 record.[21]

    Other

    [edit]
    • Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race – In the 15th annual sailing race, Manitou skippered by James R. Lowe, won the racing-cruising division, and Iolanthe, a 36-foot yawl, won the cruising class.[22]
    • Michigan Open - Marvin Stahl from Lansing won his third Michigan Open title on July 30 at the Western Golf and Country Club in Redford.[23]
    • APBA Gold Cup – On September 4, Zalmon G. Simmons' My Sin won the Gold Cup powerboat race on the Detroit River with an average speed of 66.227 miles per hour.[24]

    Chronology of events

    [edit]
    • January 1 - Upon leaving office as Governor of Michigan, Frank Murphy was chosen by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the United States Attorney General.[25]
    • January 2 - Frank Fitzgerald and Luren Dickinson were sworn in as Governor and Lieutenant Governor in a ceremony in the House chamber in Lansing.[26]
    • January 2 - Frank Murphy was sworn in as Attorney General in a ceremony at the White House with President Roosevelt present.[27]
    • January 7 - UAW president Homer Martin suspended all of the officers in UAW Local 51 in Plymouth which he charged was dominated by Communists and which he referred to as "Moscow Square".[28] The suspensions led to calls for the union's executive board to meet,[29] and for Martin to be removed as union president.[30] The board suspended Martin's duty as editor of the union's weekly newspaper on January 11, and reinstated the suspended officers from Local 51 on January 12. On January 13, 3,000 U.A.W members, starting with a pro-Martin and followed by an anti-Martin faction, occupied the Griswold building where the UAW had its headquarters, cut off elevator service, and packed the stairways from the first to eleventh floors. On January 17, the board called for special convention of delegates to be held in Cleveland on March 20.
    • January 17 - The Senate voted to confirm Frank Murphy as Attorney General with seven dissenting votes. Michigan Senator Vandenberg opposed the confirmation.
    • January 20 - The UAW executive board voted to impeach union president Homer Martin. Martin then suspended 15 of the 24 board members and announced that the new board had voted to reinstate him.
    • January 23 - The suspended members of the UAW executive board named R. J. Thomas as the union's acting president to replace Homer Martin. They also voted to suspend the executive board members retained by Martin. On January 24, CIO officials in Washington, D.C., repudiated Martin and recognized Thomas as the UAW's president. Martin responded that the action was a declaration of war by the CIO against the UAW and that John L. Lewis was seeking to become the dictator of organized labor.

    Births

    [edit]
    • January 23 - Brothers Hildebrandt, fantasy and science fiction artists, in Detroit
    • February 3 - Johnny Bristol, musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for Motown, in Detroit
    • April 5 - Ronald White, co-founder of The Miracles, in Detroit
    • April 7 - Francis Ford Coppola, film director, in Detroit
    • April 10 - Alan Rothenberg, lawyer and sports executive, President of the U.S. Soccer Federation (1990–1998), in Detroit
    • April 23 - Lee Majors, actor (The Big Valley, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy), in Wyandotte, Michigan
    • May 11 - Milt Pappas, Major League Baseball pitcher (1957–1973) and 3x All-Star, in Detroit
    • June 6 - Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, pianist, bandleader, songwriter, occasional singer, and record producer, in Detroit
    • September 1 - Lily Tomlin, actress, comedian, and writer (Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Nashville, Grace and Frankie), in Detroit
    • October 30 - Eddie Holland, a member of Motown's Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting and production team, in Detroit
    • November 3 - Howard Wolpe, U.S. Congressman (1979-1993), in Saugatuck, Michigan
    • November 19 - Warren "Pete" Moore, bass singer for The Miracles, in Detroit
    • December 11 - Tom Hayden, activist, author and politician, best for his role as an anti-war, civil rights, and counterculture activist, in Detroit
    • December 20 - Kim Weston, Motown singer, in Detroit
    [edit]

    Deaths

    [edit]
    • March 16 - Frank Fitzgerald, Governor of Michigan (1935-1937, 1939), at age 54 in Grand Ledge, Michigan
    • March 16 - Sam Dungan, star player of the Detroit Creams/Tigers from 1894-1899, at age 72 in Santa Ana, California[31]
    • June 26 - Ford Madox Ford, novelist (The Good Soldier) who taught at Olivet College, at age 65 in France
    • July 7 - Deacon White, baseball player from 1868-1890, at age 91 in St. Charles Township, Illinois
    • September 29 - Irving Kane Pond, architect, scored the first touchdown in University of Michigan football history in 1879, at age 82 in Washington, D.C.
    • December 12 - Carl E. Mapes, U.S. Congressman (1913–1939), at age 64
    [edit]

    See also

    [edit]
    • History of Michigan
    • History of Detroit

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, Volume 1 Population. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1930. pp. 512–514.
    2. ^ Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, Volume 1 Population. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1930. pp. 515–516.
    3. ^ "1939 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    4. ^ "2012 University of Michigan Baseball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2012. pp. 22, 70. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
    5. ^ 2012 Record Book, p. 13.
    6. ^ "1939 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    7. ^ "1939 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
    8. ^ "1939 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
    9. ^ "1939 Detroit Mercy Titans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
    10. ^ "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 109. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    11. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    12. ^ "2015 Eastern Michigan Football Digital Media Guide" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 162, 170. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    13. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Wayne State University. pp. 111, 114. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
    14. ^ "1938-39 Detroit Mercy Titans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    15. ^ "2015-16 Men's Basketball Media Guide". Wayne State University. p. 48. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    16. ^ "1938-39 Michigan Wolverines Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    17. ^ "1938-39 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    18. ^ "1938-39 Western Michigan Broncos Roster and Stats". SR/CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    19. ^ "1938-39 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    20. ^ "Michigan Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
    21. ^ "Michigan Tech Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
    22. ^ "Manitou and Iolanthe Win Sailing Race". The Port Huron Times Herald. July 19, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    23. ^ E.L. Warner Jr.date=July 31, 1939. "Amateurs Come Close, but Stahl Retains Open Title in Great Finish". Detroit Free Press. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    24. ^ Tod Rockwell (September 5, 1939). "Simmons' My Sin Takes Gold Cup in Record Time". Detroit Free Press. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
    25. ^ "Gov. Murphy Appointed; U.S. Attorney General; Will Be Sworn In Today". Detroit Free Press. January 2, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    26. ^ "Fitzgerald Begins Second Suit". Detroit Free Press. January 3, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    27. ^ "Murphy Takes Post in Cabinet". Detroit Free Press. January 3, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    28. ^ "Martin Purges Local Officials in 'Red' Drive". Detroit Free Press. January 8, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    29. ^ "U.A.W. Board Called to Study Purge of Local". Detroit Free Press. January 9, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    30. ^ "Martin Will Battle for His Job Today with Hostile Board". Detroit Free Press. January 10, 1939. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
    31. ^ "Sam Dungan, Old-Time Baseball Star, Dead". Santa Ana Register. March 17, 1939. pp. 12–13 – via Newspapers.com.
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