Events from the year 1940 in Michigan.

Office holders

State office holders

(

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

) * Lieutenant Governor of Michigan:

(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 ...

Edward Jeffries Edward J. Jeffries Jr. (April 3, 1900 – April 2, 1950) was an American politician, councilman, and mayor of Detroit. Early life Edward Jeffries was born in Detroit, Michigan, on April 3, 1900, the son of Judge Edward J. Jeffries and Minn ...

(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 (Republican) *

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/

Oliver Tappin Oliver Ransom Tappin (June 16, 1893 – November 18, 1945) was a Michigan politician. Political life The Flint City Commission select him as mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such a ...

William Osmund Kelly William Osmund Kelly (December 10, 1909 – July 1974) was an American politician who served as mayor of Flint, Michigan. He also filled the position of President for Saint Matthew Men's Club, the Flint Bowling Association and the Michigan Cha ...

* Mayor of Lansing: Max A. Templeton * Mayor of Saginaw: John W. Symons, Jr.

Federal office holders

* U.S. Senator from Michigan:

Prentiss M. Brown Prentiss Marsh Brown (June 18, 1889December 19, 1973) was a Democratic U.S. Representative and Senator from the state of Michigan. Biography Brown was born in St. Ignace, Michigan and attended the public schools there. He attended the Uni ...

(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

Companies

The following is a list of major companies based in Michigan in 1940.

Sports

Baseball

– 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 a 90–64 record, won 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 ...

pennant, and defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the

. Left fielder

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 ...

led

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) with 150 RBIs, 99

extra-base hit In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire ano ...

s, and a .674 slugging percentage. Center fielder

Barney McCosky William Barney McCosky (April 11, 1917 – September 6, 1996) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. From 1939 through 1953, he played for the Detroit Tigers (1939–42, 1946), Philadelphia Athletics (1946–1948, 1950–1951), Cincinnati Re ...

led MLB with 200 hits and 19

triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * ...

s. Greenberg and McCosky both compiled .340 batting averages.

led the pitching staff with at 21-5 record, a 2.83

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 ...

, and 164 strikeouts. * 1940 Michigan Wolverines baseball season - Under head coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverines compiled a 10–12 record. Charles Pinka was the team captain.

American football

* 1940 Detroit Lions season – Under head coach

Potsy Clark George M. "Potsy" Clark (March 20, 1894 – November 8, 1972) was an American football and baseball player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University, ...

, the Lions compiled a 5–5–1 record. The team's statistical leaders included Whizzer White led the team with 514 rushing yards, 461 passing yards, and 32 points scored, and

Lloyd Cardwell Lloyd Raymond Cardwell (April 19, 1913 – November 10, 1997) was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and professionally in the National Football League (NFL) with the Detroit Lions for ...

with 349 receiving yards. *

– 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 7-1 record and were ranked No. 3 in the final AP Poll.

won the 1940 Heisman Trophy. *

1940 Michigan State Spartans football team The 1940 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1940 college football season. In their eighth season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 3–4–1 record and l ...

– 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 3–4–1 record. *

1940 Detroit Titans football team The 1940 Detroit Titans football team represented the University of Detroit in the 1940 college football season. Detroit shut out six of nine opponents, outscored all opponents by a combined total of 147 to 27, and finished with a 7–2 record in ...

– 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 ...

, the Titans compiled a 7–2 record. * 1940 Wayne State Tartars football team - 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 ...

, the team compiled a 4–1–3 record. * 1940 Central Michigan Bearcats football team - Under head coach Ron Finch, the team compiled a 4–3–1 record. * 1940 Western State Broncos 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 team compiled a 2–5 record. * 1940 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 team compiled a 1–5–1 record.

Basketball

* 1939–40

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 –

Bob Calihan Robert James Calihan (August 2, 1918 – September 22, 1989) was an American basketball player and coach. Calihan played for the University of Detroit from 1937 to 1940. He led his team in scoring during each of his three seasons and became the ...

, the Titans' 6-foot, 4-inch center, concluded his playing career with 332 points in 24 games. In three seasons with the Titans, Calihan scored 795 points in 63 games. * 1939–40 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 a 13–7 record. James Rae led the team with 199 points.

Ice hockey

* 1939–40 Detroit Red Wings season – Under head 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 a 16–26–6 record. Syd Howe led the team with 14 goals, 23 assists, and 37 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 goalkeeper in 46 of 48 games.

Ebbie Goodfellow Ebenezer Robertson Goodfellow (April 9, 1907 – September 10, 1985) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Goodfellow played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for fourteen seasons with the Detroit Red Wings from 1929 to 1944 a ...

was the team captain.

Boat racing

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 ...

– Sidney Allen won the Gold Cup in the ''Hotsy Totsy III''. *

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 ...

– The yawl ''Manitou'', skippered by James Rowland Lowe, won the annual yacht race on July 14, setting a new record time of 32 hours, 45 minutes.

Boxing

* Heavyweight champion Joe Louis defended his heavyweight title in four matches against

Arturo Godoy Arturo Godoy (October 10, 1912 – 1986) was a Chilean professional boxer, also nicknamed "Arturito". Biography He was born in Iquique on October 10, 1912. He was South American Heavyweight Champion and had an extensive and successful career in A ...

(February 9, split decision), Johnny Paychek (March 29, TKO), Arturo Godoy (June 20, TKO), and Al McCoy (December 16, corner retirement).

Golfing

* Michigan Open - Emerick Kocsis won the Michigan Open on August 18 at the Midland Country Club in

Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Michigan. The city's population was 42,547 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City Com ...

Chronology of events

January

February

* February 19 - Republican

was elected in a special election to fill the vacancy left by Republican U.S. Congressman

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 ...

's death in office on December 12, 1939.

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

* September 10 - The gubernatorial primaries occurred for the November 5th election. The results: **

Democratic primary This is a list of Democratic Party presidential primaries. 1912 This was the first time that candidates were chosen through primaries. New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson ran to become the nominee, and faced the opposition of Speaker of the Uni ...

becomes the Democratic nominee for governor, defeating

Eugene Van Antwerp Eugene Ignatius Van Antwerp (July 26, 1889 – August 5, 1962) was the mayor of Detroit, Michigan. Biography He was born on July 26, 1889, the son of Eugene C. Van Antwerp and Cecelia Renaud. His father was of Flemish descent and his mother ...

. ** Republican primary -

becomes the Republican nominee for governor, defeating Thomas Read.

October

November

* November 5 - A number of elections occurred, including: **

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

- Republican nominee

defeats incumbent Democratic 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 ...

in Michigan with 49.85% of the popular vote. Willkie is defeated by Roosevelt nationally. **

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

- Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator

was re-elected. **

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

- All of Michigan's 17 U.S. Representatives won re-election except for Republican Clarence J. McLeod, who was defeated by Democrat George D. O'Brien. In the delegation, there were five Democrats and twelve Republicans. **

Michigan Governor The governor of Michigan, is the head of government of Michigan and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws; the power to either approve or veto appropriation bills passed b ...

- Democratic nominee

defeated incumbent Republican Governor

December

Births

* January 31 -

George Mans George W. Mans Jr. (January 31, 1940 – December 20, 2017) was an American college football player and coach and politician. He was the captain of the 1961 Michigan Wolverines football team, an assistant football coach at the University of Michig ...

, American football player and coach, in Detroit * February 15 -

Leon Ware Leon Ware (February 16, 1940 – February 23, 2017) was an American songwriter, producer, composer, and singer. Besides a solo career as a performer, Ware was best known for producing hits for other artists including Michael Jackson, Quincy ...

, songwriter and producer for Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson, in Detroit * February 19 - Smokey Robinson, singer, songwriter, and record producer, and the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group

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 * May 10 - Stephen M. Ross, real estate developer and sports team owner, in Detroit * May 10 -

Wayne Dyer Wayne Walter Dyer (May 10, 1940 – August 29, 2015) was an American self-help author and a motivational speaker. Dyer completed a Ed.D. in guidance and counseling at Wayne State University in 1970. Early in his career, he worked as a high sch ...

, self-help author and a motivational speaker, in Detroit * May 12 -

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators of the Mo ...

, songwriter and producer ("

I Heard It Through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a ...

", "

Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group The Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group's 1 ...

" ) credited with creating the Motown sound, in Harlem, New York City * July 6 -

Rex Cawley Warren Jay Cawley (July 6, 1940 – January 21, 2022) was an American athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Cawley was born in Highland Park, Michigan. He attended Farmington High School. Cawley still holds the record t ...

, gold medalist 400 meter hurdles at 1964 Summer Olympics, in Highland Park, MI * August 22 -

Bill McCartney William Paul McCartney (born August 22, 1940) is a former American football player and coach and the founder of the Promise Keepers men's ministry. He was the head coach at the University of Colorado Boulder for thirteen seasons (1982–1994), ...

, American football coach and the founder of the Promise Keepers men's ministry, in Riverview, MI * August 29 - Bennie Maupin, jazz multireedist, in Detroit * October 16 -

Dave DeBusschere David Albert DeBusschere (October 16, 1940 – May 14, 2003) was an American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player and coach and Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He played for the Chicago White Sox of MLB in 1962 and 1963 a ...

, Basketball Hall of Fame, in Detroit * November 2 - Ed Budde, American football guard 5× AFL All-Star, in Highland Park, MI * November 11 -

Dennis Coffey Dennis James Coffey (born November 11, 1940) is an American guitarist. He was a studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings, and is well known for his 1971 Top 10 hit single " Scorpio". Biography Coffey learned to play guitar at the ...

, guitarist known for his 1971 Top 10 hit single "Scorpio", in Detroit

Deaths

* August 18 -

Walter Chrysler Walter Percy Chrysler (April 2, 1875 – August 18, 1940) was an American industrial pioneer in the automotive industry, American automotive industry executive and the founder and namesake of American Chrysler Corporation. Early life Chrysler wa ...

, founder of Chrysler Corporation, at age 65 in Kings Point, NY

References

{{Michigan year nav

Top stories

Office holders

State office holders

Mayors of major cities

Federal office holders

Population

Companies

Sports

Baseball

American football

Basketball

Ice hockey

Boat racing

Boxing

Golfing

Chronology of events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Births

Deaths

See also

References