1989 in Michigan


Events from the year 1989 in Michigan included the murder of the DeLisle children; the battle against the crack cocaine epidemic in Detroit; the [1988–89 1988–89 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons] sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1989 NBA Finals to win their first NBA championship; interim head coach Steve Fisher leading Michigan to the national championship in the NCAA tournament; Barry Sanders signing with the Detroit Lions; and Madonna's album Like a Prayer and the single of the "same name" both reaching No. 1 on the charts.

Top Michigan news stories

The Associated Press selected the top stories in Michigan for 1989 as follows:
  1. School financing debate, including voters' rejection of two school funding proposals on the November ballot.
  2. Efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking, including the April 2 appointment of attorney Don Reisig as Michigan's "drug czar" and raids on hundreds of suspected crack houses in Detroit.
  3. Abortion controversies, including voters' rejection of the use of Medicaid funds for abortion, the Michigan House of Representatives' passage of a bill requiring girls under 18 to obtain parental consent to abortions, and clashes outside Michigan women's clinics.
  4. The September 22 drowning death of Leslie Ann Pluhar of Royal Oak after her 1987 Yugo automobile was blown by strong winds over the 38-inch railing of the Mackinac Bridge into the water below.
  5. An October 4 proposal by the Michigan Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority to establish a dumping site for all the low-level nuclear waste from seven states at a site in St. Clair, Lenawee, or Ontonagon County.
  6. The U.S. Supreme Court's November 13 deadlock in its review of a lower court ruling approving the joint operating agreement between the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. With the legal challenge removed, the newspapers began joint publishing on November 27.
  7. First-degree murder charges filed against Lawrence DeLisle in the murder of the DeLisle children after he drove the family station wagon into the Detroit River in Wyandotte, resulting in the deaths of his four children.
  8. Prison construction to alleviate anticipated overcrowding.
  9. The November 29 decision by the U.S. Air Force to place 50 rail-based MX nuclear missiles at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. The plan was to base the missiles at Wurtsmith to be deployed by rail across the northeastern lower peninsula in the event of a threat of war.
  10. The September 20 conviction in Kent County Circuit Court of nurse's aide Gwendolyn Graham in the 1987 suffocation deaths of five elderly patients at the Alpine Manor Nursing Home in Walker, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids. Graham was ordered to stand trial after her one-time lover and co-worker testified in April to the killings.

Top Michigan sports stories

The AP also conducted a year-end poll of the state's top sports stories with the following ranking as the top ten:
  1. Detroit Pistons sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1989 NBA Finals for the franchise's first NBA championship;
  2. Steve Fisher taking over as Michigan's interim head basketball coach two days before the start of the NCAA tournament and leading the Wolverines to the NCAA title.
  3. Red Wings left wing Bob Probert being sent to prison after guilty plea for bringing 14 grams of cocaine into the United States in his underpants.
  4. Michigan's victory over USC in the 1989 Rose Bowl with Leroy Hoard rushing for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
  5. Sparky Anderson going home for a month during the baseball season due to physical and mental exhaustion.
  6. Barry Sanders, the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner, was selected by the Detroit Lions with the third pick in the 1989 NFL draft. On September 7, after a lengthy holdout, Sanders signed a $9.3 million, five-year contract with the club. He tallied 1,470 rushing yards in his rookie season and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
  7. Detroit Lions giving Wayne Fontes a five-year contract and the adoption of a run-and-shoot offense.
  8. Michigan won the 1989 Big Ten football championship.
  9. Rematch of Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard eight years after their 1981 fight.
  10. Michigan State's loss to Georgia in the January 1989 Gator Bowl.
Other stories receiving votes included the [1989 1989 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers] compiling the worst record in Major League Baseball at 59–103.

Office holders

State office holders

Mayors of major cities

Federal office holders

Sports

Baseball

American football

Basketball

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Other

Music and culture

Companies

The following is a list of major companies based in Michigan having at least $500 million in sales in 1989.
Company1989 sales 1989 net earnings HeadquartersCore business
General Motors126,9744,224DetroitAutomobiles
Ford Motor Company96,9323,835DearbornAutomobiles
Chrysler36,156359Highland ParkAutomobiles
Dow Chemical Company17,7302,487MidlandChemicals
Whirlpool Corporation6,318187Benton HarborHome appliances
Kellogg Co.4,662470Battle CreekCereal products
Detroit Edison3,200389DetroitElectric utility
Masco3,150221TaylorHome improvement and construction products
Upjohn2,900176KalamazooPharmaceutical
Steelcase1,800naGrand RapidsFurniture
Clark Equipment Company1,43369BuchananIndustrial and construction machinery and equipment
Gerber Products Company1,19081FremontBaby food
Federal-Mogul1,08433Southfieldautomotive, commercial, aerospace, marine, rail and off-road vehicles
Herman Miller79945ZeelandFurniture
La-Z-Boy55627MonroeFurniture
Haworth>500naHollandFurniture
Consumers PowerJacksonNatural gas utility

Chronology of events

January

  • January 2 – Michigan defeated USC, 22–14, in the 1989 Rose Bowl
  • January 3 – Amid mounting problems and dwindling support, Arthur Jefferson announced he would step down as superintendent of Detoit schools.
  • January 5 – The Ford Thunderbird SC was named Motor Trend's domestic car of the year.
  • January 8 – Cardinal Edmund Szoka announced revised church closure plan, sparking some parishes.
  • January 8 – Over 100,000 persons attend the Detroit Auto Show, the largest single-day attendance in history.
  • January 9 – Reagan's budget proposal called for 1991 closure of General Dynamics Warren tank plant.
  • January 11 – Former UM and Olympic diver Bruce Kimball pleaded guilty in vehicular alcohol/manslaughter case. He was sentenced to 17 years.
  • January 21 – 56 arrested at protest at Detroit abortion clinic.
  • January 25 – General Momtors vice chairman Donald Atwood appointed as the No. 2 official in the Department of Defense.
  • January 27 – US Court of Appeal approved the joint operarting agreement between The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.

February

  • February 5 – Steve Yzerman scored his 50th goal of the season.
  • February 7 – Farmer Jack announced that its 37 Detroit area Q&P stores would be renamed following merger.
  • February 8 – Tiger Stadium listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • February 15 – Detroit Pistons trade Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre
  • February 22 – Detroiter Anita Baker won two Grammy Awards for best R&B song and best female R&B performance.
  • February 23 – Chrysler announced construction of new Jeep plant on Jefferson Avenue in Detoit.

March

  • March 4 – Alan Trammell signed the biggest contract in Detroit Tigers history, paying $6.5 million for three years.
  • March 4 – Bob Probert suspended indefinitely from the NHL following drug-smuggling arrest.
  • March 5 – Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video banned in Italy.
  • March 9 – William Clay Ford retired as Ford chairman.
  • March 15 – Bill Frieder accepted position as Arizona State basketball coach. Michigan AD Bo Schembechler announced Frider would not be permitted to coacch Michigan in the NCAA tournament. Assistant coach Fischer tabbed as interim coach.
  • Members of the Chambers crack cocaine ring imprisoned.
  • March 25 – Michigan defeated Virginia to advance to Final Four.

April

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