1972 in Michigan

← 1971 1970 1969 1972 in Michigan → 1973 1974 1975
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	History of Michigan Historical outline of Michigan List of years in Michigan 1972 in the United States

Events from the year 1972 in Michigan.

The Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) each selected the top news stories in Michigan for 1972 as follows:^[1][2]

1. The court order issued by federal judge Stephen Roth requiring cross-district busing throughout metropolitan Detroit (AP-1, UPI-1);
2. The beginning of the Michigan Lottery (AP-2, UPI-4);
3. The defeat of Proposal B that would have amended the state constitution to liberalize Michigan's abortion law (AP-3, UPI-3);
4. George Wallace's victory, attributed to the busing issue, in the 1972 Democratic Party Presidential primary with 51% of the vote (AP-4, UPI-2 [elections]);
5. The defeat of a ballot proposal that would have changed Michigan's system of funding public education, placed a cap on property taxes, and provided for a graduated income tax (AP-6, UPI-7);
6. Controversy concerning the Detroit Police Department's STRESS unit and a shootout between STRESS officers and off-duty Wayne County sheriff's deputies, resulting in the death of a deputy (AP-5, UPI-10);
7. The U.S. Senate campaign in which incumbent Republican Robert P. Griffin defeated Democratic challenger Frank J. Kelley (AP-9, UPI-2 [elections];
8. The skyjacking of an airliner by two Detroit residents, first to Detroit, then to Canada, and finally to Cuba (AP-10, UPI-9);
9. A school funding crisis in Detroit after voters thrice rejected millage proposals (UPI-5)
10. The automobile industry's record sales and profits and controversies over price increases, safety, and emission equipment (UPI-6);
11. High winds that pushed water over the shoreline and resulted in six counties being declared federal disaster areas (AP-7);
12. A collision near Port Huron that resulted in the sinking of the Sidney Smith in the St. Clair River, blocking the navigation channel (AP-8); and
13. Michigan's meat law prohibiting use of udders, snouts, and spleen in making hot dogs and lunch meat was overturned by a federal court (UPI-8).

The AP and UPI also selected the state's top sports stories as follows:^[3][4]

1. The 1972 Detroit Tigers winning the American League East division championship with a record of 86–70, then losing to the Oakland Athletics in the American League Championship Series (AP-1 [ALCS], AP-2 [AL East championship], UPI-2);
2. Duffy Daugherty's resignation after 19 years as head coach of the Michigan State Spartans football team and the hiring of Denny Stolz as his replacement (AP-3 [Daugherty], AP-5 [Stolz], UPI-1 [both]);
3. Michigan Wolverines football, including the 1971 team's 13-12 loss to Stanford in the 1972 Rose Bowl and the 1972 team's 11-1 season and season-ending loss to Ohio State with Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler refusing to kick a game-tying field goal late in the game (AP-4 [OSU game], AP-9 [1972 Rose Bowl], UPI-3 [Rose Bowl and 1972 season]);
4. Gary Player's victory at the 1972 PGA Championship held at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township (AP-6 [tie], UPI-8);
5. Micki King's winning the gold medal in the springboard diving event at the 1972 Summer Olympics (AP-12, UPI-7);
6. The induction of Gordie Howe into the Hockey Hall of Fame and son Mark Howe's becoming the only Michigan athlete to medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics (UPI-3);
7. The 1972 Detroit Lions compiling an 8-5-1 record and failing to make the playoffs (UPI-5);
8. The 1971–72 Detroit Red Wings' finishing in fifth place and failing to make the playoffs (UPI-6);
9. The failure of a proposed domed stadium in downtown Detroit after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the proposed manner of selling bonds to finance the stadium was illegal (AP-6 [tie]);
10. The hiring of Burt Smith as Michigan State University's athletic director (AP-6 [tie]);
11. Ed Brinkman setting several Major League Baseball fielding records for shortstops (AP-9);
12. Greg Landry's signing of a three-year contract with the Detroit Lions (AP-10 [tie]);
13. The Detroit Tigers' purchase of Woodie Fryman in early August and his winning 10 games for the Tigers in August and September (AP-10 [tie]); and
14. Michigan's high school basketball championships won by Flint Northern (Class A), River Rouge (Class B), Shelby (Class C), and Ewen-Trout Creek (Class D) (UPI-10).