Events from the year 1939 in Michigan.

Office holders

State office holders

* Governor of Michigan:

Frank Fitzgerald Frank Dwight Fitzgerald (January 27, 1885 – March 16, 1939) was an American politician. He was elected as the 34th and 36th Governor of Michigan and was the only Michigan governor to die in office. Early life Fitzgerald was born in Grand Le ...

(Republican)/

Luren Dickinson Luren Dudley Dickinson (April 15, 1859 – April 22, 1943) was an American politician. He served as the 37th governor of Michigan from 1939 to 1941. He holds the record of the oldest person to ever serve as Michigan governor, beginning at the ag ...

(Republican) * Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Luren D. Dickinson (Republican) *

Michigan Attorney General The Attorney General of the State of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, m ...

: Thomas Read (Republican) *

Michigan Secretary of State The Michigan Department of State is administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected on a partisan ballot for a term of four years in gubernatorial elections. The Secretary of State is the third-highest official in the State of Michigan. A ...

: Harry Kelly (Republican) * Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Howard Nugent (Republican) * Chief Justice,

Michigan Supreme Court The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is Michigan's court of last resort and consists of seven justices. The Court is located in the Michigan Hall of Justice at 925 Ottawa Street in Lansing, the sta ...

Mayors of major cities

Mayor of Detroit This is a list of mayors of Detroit, Michigan. See History of Detroit, Michigan, for more information about the history of the incorporation of the city. The current mayor is Mike Duggan, who was sworn into office on January 1, 2014. History ...

Richard Reading Richard W. Reading (February 7, 1882 – December 9, 1952) was a Republican mayor of Detroit, Michigan from 1938 to 1940. Biography Richard William Reading was born in Detroit on February 7, 1882, the son of Richard W. and Louise M. Reading ...

(Republican) *

Mayor of Grand Rapids This is a list of mayors of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The current mayor is Rosalynn Bliss, who was sworn into office on January 1, 2016. References {{Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat ...

: George W. Welsh *

Mayor of Flint The mayor position of Flint, Michigan is a strong mayor-type. In Flint's previous 1929 charter, the mayor was one of the City Commissioners, as the council in a council-manager type government. 1855–1888 The mayor was one of many citywide ele ...

: Harry M. Comins * 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

* U.S. Senator from Michigan: Prentiss M. Brown (Democrat) * U.S. Senator from Michigan:

Arthur Vandenberg Arthur Hendrick Vandenberg Sr. (March 22, 1884April 18, 1951) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Michigan from 1928 to 1951. A member of the Republican Party, he participated in the creation of the United Natio ...

(Republican) * House District 1: Rudolph G. Tenerowicz (Democrat) * House District 2:

Earl C. Michener Earl Cory Michener (November 30, 1876 – July 4, 1957) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. Michener had German American, German ancestry. He was born near Attica, Ohio, Attica in Seneca County, Ohio. He moved with his parents to A ...

(Republican) * House District 3:

Paul W. Shafer Paul Werntz Shafer (April 27, 1893 – August 17, 1954) was a politician and judge from Michigan. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1937 until his death. Biography Shafer was born in Elkhart, Indiana on Apr ...

(Republican) * House District 4:

Clare Hoffman Clare Eugene Hoffman (September 10, 1875 – November 3, 1967) was a United States representative from Michigan's 4th congressional district. Background Hoffman was born in Vicksburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, where he attended the public s ...

(Republican) * House District 5:

Bartel J. Jonkman Bartel John Jonkman (April 28, 1884 – June 13, 1955) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. Jonkman was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he attended the public schools. He was of Dutch (ethnic group), Dutch descent. He graduated ...

(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 Frederick Van Ness Bradley (April 12, 1898 – May 24, 1947) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 11th congressional district from 1939 until his death in 1947. He was a member of the Republican Party. ...

(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

Sports

Baseball

* 1939 Detroit Tigers season – Under manager

Del Baker Delmer David Baker (May 3, 1892 – September 11, 1973) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. During his time as a player, he spent three years (1914–1916) in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a backup catcher for the ...

, the Tigers compiled an 81-73 record and finished in fifth place in the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

. The team's statistical leaders included

Charlie Gehringer Charles Leonard Gehringer (May 11, 1903 – January 21, 1993), nicknamed "the Mechanical Man", was an American professional baseball second baseman, coach, general manager, and team vice president, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for ...

with a .325

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (born Hyman Greenberg; January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", or "The Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major Leagu ...

with 33

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s and 113 RBIs,

Tommy Bridges Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges (December 28, 1906 – April 19, 1968) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946. During the 1930s, he used an outstanding cu ...

and

Bobo Newsom Louis Norman "Bobo" Newsom (August 11, 1907 – December 7, 1962) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Also known as "Buck", Newsom played for nine of the 16 then-existing big-league teams from 1929 through 1953 over all o ...

with 17 wins each, and Newsom with a 3.37

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

. * 1939 Michigan Wolverines baseball season - Under head coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverines compiled an 18–9–2 record. Walter Peckinpaugh was the team captain.

American football

* 1939 Detroit Lions season – Under head coach

Gus Henderson Elmer Clinton "Gloomy Gus" Henderson (March 10, 1889 – December 16, 1965) was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Southern California (1919–1924), the University of Tulsa (1925–1935), and Occidental ...

, 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. *

1939 Michigan Wolverines football team The 1939 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1939 Big Ten Conference football season. Under second-year head coach Fritz Crisler, Michigan compiled a 6–2 record and outscored opponents 219 to 94. The ...

– Under head coach

Fritz Crisler Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler (; January 12, 1899 – August 19, 1982) was an American college football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and ...

, the Wolverines compiled a 6–2 record, tied for fourth place in the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

, and were ranked No. 20 in the final

AP Poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...

Tom Harmon Thomas Dudley Harmon (September 28, 1919 – March 15, 1990), known as Tom Harmon, as well as by the nickname "Old 98", was an American football player, military pilot, actor, and sports broadcaster. Harmon grew up in Gary, Indiana, and playe ...

was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player and was also named a consensus All-American. *

1939 Michigan State Spartans football team The 1939 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1939 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 4–4–1 record and ...

– Under head coach

Charlie Bachman Charles William Bachman Jr. (December 1, 1892 – December 14, 1985) was an American college football player and head coach. Bachman was an Illinois native and an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, where he played college football. He ser ...

, the Spartans compiled a 4–4–1 record. *

1939 Detroit Titans football team The 1939 Detroit Titans football team represented the University of Detroit in the 1939 college football season. Detroit outscored its opponents by a combined total of 149 to 90 and finished with a 5–3–1 record in its 15th year under head c ...

– The Titans compiled a 5–3–1 record under head coach

Gus Dorais Charles Emile "Gus" Dorais (July 2, 1891 – January 3, 1954) was an American football player, coach, and athletic administrator. Dorais played college football at the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American in 1913 at quarterback ...

. * 1939 Central Michigan Bearcats football team - Under head coach Ron Finch the Bercats compiled an 8–1 record. * 1938 Western State Hilltoppers football team - Under head coach

Mike Gary Mitchell J. "Mike" Gary (April 17, 1900 – December 30, 1969) was an American college football player and coach and athletics administrator. He was an All-Big Ten football player for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 1926 and 1927 and served in ...

, the Hilltoppers compiled a 2–6–1 record. * 1939 Michigan State Normal Hurons football team - Under head coach

Elton Rynearson Elton James Rynearson Sr. (April 7, 1893 – February 8, 1967) was an American athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was affiliated with Eastern Michigan University (known as Michigan State Normal College prior to 1956) for most ...

, the Hurons compiled a 3–3–1 record. * 1939 Wayne Tartars football team – The Tartars compiled a 4–5 record under head coach

Joe Gembis Joseph George Gembis (September 29, 1907 – July 5, 1969), sometimes known by the nickname "Dynamite Joe", was an American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1926 to 1929 and professional foot ...

Basketball

* 1938–39

Detroit Titans men's basketball The Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball team is the college basketball team that represents University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Michigan, and competes in NCAA Division I men's basketball as a member of the Horizon League. Traditionally, the ...

team – Under head coach

Lloyd Brazil Francis Lloyd Brazil (April 24, 1906 – April 3, 1965) was an American athlete, coach and athletic director at the University of Detroit for 38 years. He played Halfback (American football), halfback for the University of Detroit American footbal ...

, the Titans compiled a 15–5 record. * 1938–39 Wayne Tartars men's basketball team – Under coach Newman Ertell, Wayne compiled a 14–5 record. * 1938–39 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team – Under head coach

Bennie Oosterbaan Benjamin Oosterbaan ( ; February 24, 1906 – October 25, 1990) was a three-time first team College Football All-America Team, All-American American football, football End (gridiron football), end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-tim ...

, the Wolverines compiled an 11–9 record. * 1938–39

Michigan State Spartans men's basketball The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Michigan State University. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball. The Spartans have won ...

team – Under head coach Benjamin Van Alstyne, the Spartans compiled a 9–8 record. * 1938–39

Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball The Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team represents Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school's team competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and are coached by Dwayne Stephens. The team last played in the N ...

team – Under head coach

Buck Read Herbert William "Buck" Read (February 8, 1880 - August 15, 1970) was an American basketball coach. He was the head coach for the Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team from 1922 through 1949. He was also president of the National Associat ...

, the Broncos compiled a 7–10 record.

Ice hockey

1938–39 Detroit Red Wings season The 1938–39 Detroit Red Wings season was the 13th season for the Detroit NHL franchise, seventh as the Red Wings. Offseason Regular season Final standings Record vs. opponents Schedule and results Playoffs (5) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6 ...

– Under coach

Jack Adams John James Adams (June 14, 1894 – May 1, 1968) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League and Pacific Coast Hockey Association. He played for the Toronto Arenas, Vancouver Millionair ...

, the Red Wings compiled an 18–24–6 record and finished in fifth place in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL). The team's statistical leaders included Syd Howe with 16 goals, Marty Barry and 41 points.

Tiny Thompson Cecil Ralph "Tiny" Thompson (May 31, 1903 – February 9, 1981) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), first for the Boston Bruins, and later for the Detroit Red Wings. ...

was the team's goaltender. * 1938–39

Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey The Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earning varsity status in 1922, the program has competed in 100 seasons. Between 1959 and 1981, th ...

team – Under head coach Ed Lowrey, the Wolverines compiled an 8–8–2 record. * 1938–39

Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey The Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey team is an NCAA Division I college ice hockey program that represents Michigan Technological University. The Huskies are a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). They play at the ...

team – Under head coach Ed Maki, the Huskies compiled a 6–8 record.

Other

Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race The Bayview Mackinac Boat Race is run by the Bayview Yacht Club of Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the longest fresh-water races in the world with over two hundred boats entering the race each year. There have been at least six changes to the co ...

– 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. * Michigan Open - Marvin Stahl from Lansing won his third Michigan Open title on July 30 at the Western Golf and Country Club in Redford. *

APBA Gold Cup The APBA Gold Cup (originally known simply as the Gold Cup, a speedboat race) is an American hydroplane boat race, named for the American Power Boat Association. It is now run as part of the H1 Unlimited H1 Unlimited is an American Unlimited ...

– On September 4, Zalmon G. Simmons' ''My Sin'' won the Gold Cup powerboat race on the

Detroit River The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively referred to as Detro ...

with an average speed of 66.227 miles per hour.

Chronology of events

* January 1 - Upon leaving office as Governor of Michigan,

Frank Murphy William Francis Murphy (April 13, 1890July 19, 1949) was an American politician, lawyer and jurist from Michigan. He was a Democrat who was named to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1940 after a political career that included serving ...

was chosen by President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

as the United States Attorney General. * January 2 -

and

were sworn in as Governor and Lieutenant Governor in a ceremony in the House chamber in Lansing. * January 2 - Frank Murphy was sworn in as Attorney General in a ceremony at the White House with President Roosevelt present. * 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". The suspensions led to calls for the union's executive board to meet, and for Martin to be removed as union president. 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 John Llewellyn Lewis (February 12, 1880 – June 11, 1969) was an American leader of organized labor who served as president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) from 1920 to 1960. A major player in the history of coal mining, he was the d ...

was seeking to become the dictator of organized labor.

Births

* January 23 -

Brothers Hildebrandt Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, known as the Brothers Hildebrandt (born January 23, 1939), are American twin brothers who worked collaboratively as fantasy and science fiction artists for many years. They produced illustrations for comic books, movie p ...

, 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 Ronald is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse ''Rögnvaldr'', Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 234; Hanks; Hodges (2003) § Ronald. or possibly from Old English '' Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an Anglicised form of ...

, co-founder of

The Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

, in Detroit * April 7 - Francis Ford Coppola, film director, in Detroit * April 10 -

Alan Rothenberg Alan I. Rothenberg (born April 10, 1939) is an American lawyer and sports executive. He is known for his contributions to and influence on the growth of soccer in the United States. He is the namesake of the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy, which was ...

, lawyer and sports executive, President of the U.S. Soccer Federation (1990–1998), in Detroit * April 23 -

Lee Majors Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary; April 23, 1939) is an American actor. Majors portrayed the characters of Heath Barkley in the American television Western series ''The Big Valley'' (1965–1969), Colonel Steve Austin in the American televisio ...

, actor ( The Big Valley,

The Six Million Dollar Man ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors. After a NASA test flight accident, Austin is re ...

The Fall Guy ''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/adventure television series produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981, to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas as Hollywood stunt performers who mo ...

), in

Wyandotte, Michigan Wyandotte ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and it is part of the coll ...

* May 11 -

Milt Pappas Milton Steven Pappas (May 11, 1939 – April 19, 2016) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through . Nicknamed "Gimpy", the 17-year veteran pitched for the Baltimore Ori ...

, Major League Baseball pitcher (1957–1973) and 3x All-Star, in Detroit * June 6 -

Richard "Popcorn" Wylie Richard Wayne Wylie (June 6, 1939 – September 7, 2008), often known as Popcorn Wylie, was an American pianist, bandleader, songwriter, occasional singer, and record producer who was influential in the early years of Motown Records and was ...

, pianist, bandleader, songwriter, occasional singer, and record producer, in Detroit * September 1 -

Lily Tomlin Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the varie ...

, actress, comedian, and writer (''

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, hosted by comedians Da ...

'', '' Nashville'', ''

Grace and Frankie ''Grace and Frankie'' is an American comedy television series created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris for Netflix. The series stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as the eponymous Grace Hanson and Frankie Bergstein, two aging women who form ...

''), in Detroit * October 30 -

Eddie Holland Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", he ...

, a member of Motown's Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting and production team, in Detroit * November 3 -

Howard Wolpe Howard Eliot Wolpe (November 3, 1939 – October 25, 2011) was an American politician who served as a seven-term U.S. Representative from Michigan and Presidential Special Envoy to the African Great Lakes Region in the Clinton Administration, whe ...

, U.S. Congressman (1979-1993), in

Saugatuck, Michigan Saugatuck is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 865 at the 2020 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous. Originally a lumber town and port, Saugatuck, along wi ...

* November 19 -

Warren "Pete" Moore Warren Thomas "Pete" Moore (November 19, 1938 – November 19, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and record producer, notable as the bass singer for Motown group the Miracles from 1955 onwards, and was one of the group's original members. H ...

, bass singer for

, in Detroit * December 11 -

Tom Hayden Thomas Emmet Hayden (December 11, 1939October 23, 2016) was an American social and political activist, author, and politician. Hayden was best known for his role as an anti-war, civil rights, and intellectual activist in the 1960s, authoring t ...

, activist, author and politician, best for his role as an anti-war, civil rights, and counterculture activist, in Detroit * December 20 -

Kim Weston Kim Weston (born December 20, 1939) is an American soul singer, and Motown alumna. In the 1960s, Weston scored hits with the songs "Love Me All the Way" and "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)", and with her duet with Marvin Gaye ...

, Motown singer, in Detroit

Gallery of 1939 births

File:Lee Majors July 2017.jpg,

File:Lily Tomlin 2014.jpg,

File:Howard Wolpe 99th Congress 1985.jpg,

File:Tom Hayden (cropped).jpg,

File:Kim Weston.png,

Deaths

* March 16 -

, Governor of Michigan (1935-1937, 1939), at age 54 in

Grand Ledge, Michigan Grand Ledge is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city lies mostly within Eaton County, though a small portion extends into Clinton County to the north. The city sits above the Grand River 12.7 miles (20.4 kilometers) west of downtown La ...

* March 16 -

Sam Dungan Samuel Morrison Dungan (July 29, 1866 – March 16, 1939) was a professional baseball player, principally an outfielder, but also a catcher and first baseman, for 16 years from 1890 to 1905. A California native, he attended Michigan State Normal ...

, star player of the Detroit Creams/Tigers from 1894-1899, at age 72 in Santa Ana, California * June 26 -

Ford Madox Ford Ford Madox Ford (né Joseph Leopold Ford Hermann Madox Hueffer ( ); 17 December 1873 – 26 June 1939) was an English novelist, poet, critic and editor whose journals '' The English Review'' and ''The Transatlantic Review'' were instrumental in ...

, novelist (''

The Good Soldier ''The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion'' is a 1915 novel by the British writer Ford Madox Ford. It is set just before World War I, and chronicles the tragedy of Edward Ashburnham and his seemingly perfect marriage, along with that of his two A ...

'') who taught at

Olivet College Olivet College is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Olivet, Michigan. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It was founded in 1844 by missionaries from Oberlin College, and it followed Oberlin in becom ...

, at age 65 in France * July 7 -

Deacon White James Laurie "Deacon" White (December 2, 1847 – July 7, 1939) was an American baseball player who was one of the principal stars during the first two decades of the sport's professional era. The outstanding catcher of the 1870s during baseball ...

, baseball player from 1868-1890, at age 91 in St. Charles Township, Illinois * September 29 -

Irving Kane Pond Irving Kane Pond (May 1, 1857 – September 29, 1939) was an American architect, college athlete, and author. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Pond attended the University of Michigan and received a degree in civil engineering in 1879. He was a ...

, architect, scored the first touchdown in University of Michigan football history in 1879, at age 82 in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

* December 12 -

Carl E. Mapes Carl Edgar Mapes (December 26, 1874 – December 12, 1939) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. Mapes was born on a farm near Kalamo, Michigan, to Selah W. and Sarah Ann (Brooks) Mapes. His father was born in New York (state), New Y ...

, U.S. Congressman (1913–1939), at age 64

Gallery of 1939 deaths

File:Frank D. Fitzgerald.jpg,

File:Fordmadoxford.jpg,

Ford Maddox Ford Ford Madox Ford (né Joseph Leopold Ford Hermann Madox Hueffer ( ); 17 December 1873 – 26 June 1939) was an English novelist, poet, critic and editor whose journals ''The English Review'' and ''The Transatlantic Review'' were instrumental in ...

File:Irving Pond (1912).jpg,

References

{{Michigan year nav