1978 in Michigan

1. The Great Blizzard of 1978 leaving 400,000 homes and businesses without power;
2. The passage of one of three tax proposals on the November ballot—a measure requiring voter approval for new tax increases above authorized levels;
3. The reelection of William Milliken as Governor, easily defeating challenger William Fitzgerald, and Carl Levin's defeat of Robert P. Griffin in the election for a U.S. Senate seat from Michigan;
4. The ruling of Wexford County Circuit Judge William Peterson dismissing all charges against three defendants in the first PBB lawsuit, a 14-month trial that was the longest in Michigan history;
5. The recall of 1.5 million pre-1977 Ford Pintos for modifications to the fuel tanks;
6. The passage of a ballot proposal in November increasing Michigan's legal drinking age to 21;
7. The implementation of Michigan's deposit law following the 1976 measure banning throwaway bottles and cans;
8. Disclosures of patient abuse at Michigan's state mental health facilities beginning with a series of articles published in February in the Detroit Free Press and resulting in the resignation of the state's mental health director;
9. The conviction of Congressman Charles Diggs for mail fraud and making false statements in connection with a scheme in which staffers were required to kick back a portion of their pay to Diggs; and
10. The passage of $168.5 million in transportation spending funded by an additional two cent per gallon tax on gasoline and increased vehicle registration fees.

1. The 1977–78 Detroit Red Wings season which rebounded from the worst record in the NHL one year earlier and won a berth in the playoffs for the first time in a decade;
2. The 1977–78 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team led by Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser that compiled a 25–5 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, and advanced to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament;
3. Michigan State's upset victory on October 14 over Michigan in football;
4. Improvements in the Detroit Lions under head coach Monte Clark;
5. The hiring of Dick Vitale as head coach of the Detroit Pistons;
6. The selection of Detroit Tigers second baseman Lou Whitaker as the American League Rookie of the Year;
7. The resignation of Ralph Houk as manager of the Detroit Tigers;
8. Rick Leach finishing his four-year career as Michigan's quarterback;
9. The Detroit Tigers' signing of Michigan State football star Kirk Gibson; and
10. Former Dearborn prep player Gary Danielson taking over as quarterback of the Detroit Lions.

    Office holders

State office holders

• Governor of Michigan: William Milliken
• Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: James Damman
• Michigan Attorney General: Frank J. Kelley
• Michigan Secretary of State: Richard H. Austin
• Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Bobby Crim
• Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate: William Faust
• Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Thomas G. Kavanagh

  Mayors of major cities

• Mayor of Detroit: Coleman Young
• Mayor of Grand Rapids: Abe L. Drasin
• Mayor of Warren, Michigan: Ted Bates
• Mayor of Sterling Heights, Michigan: Anthony Dobry
• Mayor of Flint: James W. Rutherford
• Mayor of Dearborn: Orville L. Hubbard/John O'Reilly, Sr.
• Mayor of Lansing: Gerald W. Graves
• Mayor of Ann Arbor: Albert Wheeler / Louis Belcher
• Mayor of Saginaw: Joe Stephens

  Federal office holders

• United States Senator from Michigan: Donald W. Riegle Jr.
• United States Senator from Michigan: Robert P. Griffin
• United States Representative, District 1: John Conyers
• United States Representative, District 2: Carl Pursell
• United States Representative, District 3: Garry E. Brown
• United States Representative, District 4: David Stockman
• United States Representative, District 5: Harold S. Sawyer
• United States Representative, District 6: Bob Carr
• United States Representative, District 7: Dale Kildee
• United States Representative, District 8: J. Bob Traxler
• United States Representative, District 9: Guy Vander Jagt
• United States Representative, District 10: Elford Albin Cederberg
• United States Representative, District 11: Philip Ruppe
• United States Representative, District 12: David Bonior
• United States Representative, District 13: Charles Diggs
• United States Representative, District 14: Lucien N. Nedzi
• United States Representative, District 15: William D. Ford
• United States Representative, District 16: John Dingell
• United States Representative, District 17: William M. Brodhead
• United States Representative, District 18: James Blanchard
• United States Representative, District 19: William Broomfield

  Population

Sports

Baseball

• 1978 Detroit Tigers season – Under manager Ralph Houk, the Tigers compiled an 86–76 record and finished fifth in the American League East. The team's statistical leaders included Ron LeFlore with a.297 batting average, Jason Thompson with 26 home runs, Rusty Staub with 121 RBIs, Jim Slaton with 17 wins, and John Hiller with a 2.34 earned run average.

  American football

• 1978 Detroit Lions season – The Lions, under head coach Monte Clark, compiled a 7–9 record and finished in third place in the NFL's Central Division. The team's statistical leaders included Gary Danielson with 2,294 passing yards, Dexter Bussey with 924 rushing yards, David Hill with 633 receiving yards, and Benny Ricardo with 92 points scored.
• 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team – Under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–2 record and were ranked No. 5 in the final AP Poll. The team's statistical leaders included Rick Leach with 1,283 passing yards and 72 points scored, Harlan Huckleby with 741 rushing yards, and Ralph Clayton with 546 receiving yards.
• 1978 Michigan State Spartans football team – Under head coach Darryl Rogers, the Spartans compiled an 8–3 record and were ranked No. 12 in the final AP Poll. The team's statistical leaders included Ed Smith with 2,226 passing yards, Steve Smith with 772 rushing yards, and Kirk Gibson with 806 receiving yards.

  Basketball

• 1977–78 Detroit Pistons season – Under head coaches Herb Brown and Bob Kaufman, the Pistons compiled a 38–44 record and finished fourth in the NBA's Midwest Division. The team's statistical leaders included Bob Lanier with 1,542 points and 715 rebounds and Chris Ford with 381 assists.
• 1977–78 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team – Under head coach Jud Heathcote, the Spartans compiled a 25–5 record and won the Big Ten Conference championship. The team's statistical leaders included Greg Kelser with 531 points and 274 rebounds and Magic Johnson with 222 assists.
• 1977–78 Detroit Titans men's basketball team – The Titans compiled a 25–4 record under head coach Smokey Gaines.
• 1977–78 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team – Under head coach Johnny Orr, the Wolverines compiled a 16–11 record.

  Ice hockey

• 1977–78 Detroit Red Wings season – Under head coach Bobby Kromm, the Red Wings compiled a 32–34–14 record and finished second in the National Hockey League's Norris Division. Dale McCourt led the team with 33 goals and 72 points, and Reed Larson led with 41 assists. The team's regular goaltenders were Jim Rutherford and Ron Low.

  Other

Music

• Stranger in Town, the 10th studio album by Detroit native Bob Seger, was released in May 1978. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard album chart and was certified platinum. It included four hit singles: "Hollywood Nights", "Still the Same", "Old Time Rock and Roll", and "We've Got Tonight". Still the Same ranked No. 52 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1978; Hollywood Nights ranked No. 99.
• Weekend Warriors, the fourth studio album by Redford native Ted Nugent, was released in September 1978 and reached No. 24 on the Billboard album chart. It included the single "Need You Bad".
• Ross, an album by Detroit native Diana Ross, was released in September 1978, and reached No. 49 on the Billboard album chart.
• From the Inside, the fourth solo album by Detroit native Alice Cooper, was released in November 1978. It included the hit single "How You Gonna See Me Now".
• Almighty Fire, an album by Aretha Franklin, was released in April 1978. It peaked at No. 83 on the Billboard album chart.
• Love Breeze, an album by Detroit native Smokey Robinson, was released in February 1978. It reached No. 19 on the R&B album chart.

  Chronology of events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Births

• January 26 - Corina Morariu, tennis player and winner of Wimbledon women's doubles title in 1999, in Detroit

  Deaths

• April 24 - Heartley "Hunk" Anderson, native of Calumet, Michigan, American football player and coach, and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, at age 79 in West Palm Beach, Florida
• August 5 - Dutch Clark, American football player and coach, 6× first-team All-Pro, led Detroit Lions to 1935 NFL championship, and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, at age 71 in Cañon City, Colorado
• August 28 - Bruce Catton, historian known for his books about the Civil War, at age 78 in Frankfort, Michigan
• November 23 - George Wilson, NFL player and coach and Detroit Lions head coach, at age 64 in Detroit