Events from the year 1938 in Michigan.
Top stories
Major Michigan news stories during 1938 included: In a shift of the pendulum away from Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, Michigan's Republican party dominated the November 8 elections, including Frank Fitzgerald's victory over incumbent Governor Frank Murphy, a sweep of state offices, and control of 23 of 32 seats in the State Senate and 74 of 100 seats in the lower house. Sit-down strikes, bombings, and labor unrest in multiple industries. The construction and October 8 opening of the Blue Water Bridge between Port Huron and Sarnia. A power struggle in the United Auto Workers (UAW) and accusations of Communist control and graft exchanged between factions loyal to union president Homer Martin, on the one hand, and vice presidents Richard Frankensteen and Wyndham Mortimer, on the other hand. The hanging by federal authorities of Tony Chebatoris at the Milan federal detention farm. Chabatoris is the only person to have been executed in Michigan since the state abolished the death penalty in 1846. As news intensifies of German repression of Jews, Father Charles Coughlin sparks controversy with anti-Semitic comments, and Detroiters attend a rally to protest Germany's actions.
Major sports stories included: The June 22 rematch of Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, with Detroit's "Brown Bomber" knocking out his German opponent in the first round. Detroit Tigers' first baseman Hank Greenberg threatened Babe Ruth's home run record and led the American League with 58 home runs and 143 runs scored. Mickey Cochrane retired as a player and was subsequently fired as manager of the Detroit Tigers. New manager Del Baker led a turnaround in the Tigers' season, as the team compiled a 37–19 record (.661) tunder its new manager. After four consecutive seasons in which the Michigan Wolverines football team had failed to compile a winning record, Fritz Crisler was hired as Michigan's football coach. Led by All-American guard Ralph Heikkinen, halfback Tom Harmon and quarterback Forest Evashevski, the 1938 Michigan team finished with a 6–1–1 record.
Office holders State office holders Governor of Michigan: Frank Murphy (Democrat) Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Leo J. Nowicki (Democrat) Michigan Attorney General: Raymond Wesley Starr Michigan Secretary of State: Leon D. Case Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: George A. Schroeder (Democrat) Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Howard Wiest
Mayors of major cities Mayor of Detroit: Richard Reading Mayor of Grand Rapids: Tunis Johnson/George W. Welsh Mayor of Flint: Harold E. Bradshaw/Harry M. Comins Mayor of Dearborn: John Carey Mayor of Saginaw: Francis J. McDonald 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 (Republican) House District 1: George G. Sadowski (Democrat) House District 2: Earl C. Michener (Republican) House District 3: Paul W. Shafer (Republican) House District 4: Clare Hoffman (Republican) House District 5: Carl E. Mapes (Republican) House District 6: Andrew J. Transue (Democrat) 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: John F. Luecke (Democrat) House District 12: Frank Eugene Hook (Democrat) House District 13: George D. O'Brien (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)
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Sports
Baseball 1938 Detroit Tigers season – Under managers Mickey Cochrane and Del Baker, the Tigers compiled an 84-70 record and finished in fourth place in the American League. First baseman Hank Greenberg led the league with 143 runs scored, 58 home runs, and 119 bases on balls. He also led the team with a 315 batting average, .438 on-base percentage, .683 slugging percentage, and 147 RBIs. Tommy Bridges led the pitching staff with 13 wins, and Al Benton led the staff with a 3.30 earned run average (ERA). 1938 Michigan Wolverines baseball season - Under head coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverines compiled a 14–12 record. Merle Kremer was the team captain.2012 Record Book, p. 13.
American football 1938 Detroit Lions season – Under player-coach Dutch Clark, the Lions compiled a 7–4 record and placed second in the NFL's Western Division. The team's statistical leaders included Vern Huffman with 382 passing yards, Bill Shepherd with 455 rushing yards, and Lloyd Cardwell with 138 receiving yards and 30 points scored. 1938 Michigan Wolverines football team – In their first year under head coach Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines compiled a 6–1–1 record, tied for second place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked No. 16 in the final AP Poll. 1938 Michigan State Spartans football team – Under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 6–3 record. Halfback John Pingel was selected by the Associated Press and International News Service as a first-team All-American. 1938 Central Michigan Bearcats football team - Under head coach Ron Finch the Bercats compiled a 7–1 record. 1938 Michigan State Normal Hurons football team - Under head coach Elton Rynearson, the Hurons compiled a 6–1–1 record. 1938 Detroit Titans football team – The Titans compiled a 6–4 record under head coach Gus Dorais. 1938 Western State Hilltoppers football team - Under head coach Mike Gary, the Hilltoppers compiled a 4–3 record. 1938 Wayne Tartars football team – The Tartars compiled a 2–6 record under head coach Joe Gembis.
Basketball 1937–38 Detroit Titans men's basketball team – Under head coach Lloyd Brazil, the Titans compiled a 16–4 record. Sophomore Bob Calihan broke the school's scoring record with 196 points in 19 games. Callihan later served as the Titans' head basketball coach from 1948 to 1969. 1937–38 Wayne Tartars men's basketball team – Under coach Newman Ertell, Wayne compiled a 14–4 record. 1937–38 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team – Under head coach Franklin Cappon, the Wolverines compiled a 12–8 record. John "Jake" Townsend broke Michigan's single-season scoring record with 226 points (81 field goals and 64 of 91 free throws) in 20 games. 1937–38 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team – Under head coach Benjamin Van Alstyne, the Spartans compiled a 9–8 record. 1937–38 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team – Under head coach Buck Read, the Broncos compiled a 6–12 record.
Ice hockey 1937–38 Detroit Red Wings season – Under coach Jack Adams, the Red Wings compiled a 12–25–11 record and finished in fourth place in the National Hockey League (NHL) American Division. The team's statistical leaders included Carl Liscombe with 14 goals, Marty Barry with 20 assists, and Herbie Lewis with 31 points. Normie Smith was the team's goaltender. 1937–38 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team – Under head coach Ed Lowrey, the Wolverines compiled a 13–6 record. 1937–38 Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey team – Under head coach Joe Savini, the Huskies compiled a 4–11–1 record.
Other Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race – Fred S. Field's Evening Star won the 14th annual yacht race, crossing the finish line on July 18 with a time of 49:49:29. Michigan Open - Marvin Stahl of Lansing won the Michigan Open golf championship on July 20 at the Cascade Hills Country Club in Grand Rapids. APBA Gold Cup – Count Theo Rossi won the Gold Cup powerboat race on the Detroit River on September 5.
Chronology of events January January 4 - Richard Reading took the oath as the new Mayor of Detroit. January 4 - Gertude Bennett, age 17 and the daughter of Ford personnel director Harry Bennett, disappeared, triggering a search. the next day, she was found to have eloped to be married in Indiana with a 21-year-old trap drummer and clog dancer. January 5 - The National Labor Relations Board rejected Ford Motor's request for a rehearing in its suit for unfair practices in violation of the Wagner Act. January 8 - Detroit automobile plants recalled 61,000 employees to work January 9 - Governor Frank Murphy proposed a state income tax January 13 - Deputies used tear gas to disperse 400 UAW pickets at the New Haven Foundry. Two Macomb County deputy sheriffs were injured when picketers hurled volleys of scrap iron and rocks. January 15 - The body of Detroit real estate broker Edna Mae Cummings was found in a field near Belleville, Michigan. Another real estate broker Julia Barker initially confessed to the killing and was arrested but later repudiated the confession, claiming that she acted in self defense after Cummings drew the gun and threatened to kill her. Both Cummings and Barker were under indictment in Kentucky for real estate fraud. On June 2, Barker was found guilty of murder. She was sentenced to 10–15 years in the Detroit House of Corrections. January 25 - Governor Murphy declared an emergency after the worst blizzard since the 1890s struck the Upper Peninsula where drifts were reported at 30 feet. On the morning of January 25, a fire fanned by high winds from the blizzard destroyed several business buildings in downtown Marquette. January 29 - Franco Ghione signed a three-year contract extending his tenure as music director and conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
February February 2 - Former Michigan Attorney General Harry S. Toy announced his candidacy for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He ultimately lost to former Governor Frank Fitzgerald. February 4 - Approximately 150,000 UAW members conducted a demonstration in Detroit February 6–7 - Heavy rains and melting snow in Kent, Mount Clemens, Saginaw, and Muskegon areas triggers flooding of homes and farmland, blocks highways, and washes out bridges. February 9 - Fritz Crisler was hired as the head football coach at the University of Michigan. Crisler compiled a 71–16–3 record in 10 years as Michigan's coach. February 14 - Flooding in Mount Clemens required evacuation of hundreds of homes February 16 - Mickey Cochrane announced his retirement as a player. February 18 - The board of trustees of the Ford Brotherhood of America repudiates a vote of affiliation with the UAW. February 20 - Two Owosso men drowned in an attempt to shoot the Shiawassee River falls in a canoe at the Parshall mill dam.
March March 1 - Detroit Police deploy 150 officers to eject 38 sit-down strikers from a Consolidated Brass Company plant. March 20 - The Detroit Red Wings concluded their season with a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. A ceremony was held between periods honoring Larry Aurie in his final game. Aurie had played with the club since 1927. Aurie's jersey No. 6 was retired after the season, the first Detroit player to be so honored. March 26 - Gambling raids in Mount Clemens result in 271 arrests March 26 - A raid in Bay City results in seizure of more than $25,000 in marijuana and the arrests of 10 Mexicans. March 30 - A riot by striking workers at the Federal Screw Works in Detroit was triggered when police attempted to escort workers into the plant. The incident resulted in injuries to 40 persons, including 13 police officers.
April April 2 - Striking workers seized six utility plants in Jackson, Bay City, Flint, and Milwaukee. Governor Murphy urged the CIO leaders to withdraw from the plants. April 12 - Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with 700 guests at Independence Hall, Greenfield Village. April 15 - Police seized $20,000 in marijuana in Muskegon and Maple Rapids. April 16 - The Wright Brothers home and bicycle shop opened at Greenfield Village in a ceremony attended by Orville Wright and Henry Ford.