1980 in Michigan

← 1979 1978 1977 1980 in Michigan → 1981 1982 1983
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	History of Michigan Historical outline of Michigan List of years in Michigan 1980 in the United States

Events from the year 1980 in Michigan.

The Associated Press (AP) selected the top Michigan news stories in Michigan as follows:^[1]

1. Record losses by the Big Three automakers and layoffs of 190,000 workers by year's end and production falling below the Japanese auto makers for the first time in history;
2. Economic downturn in Michigan resulting in layoffs of state employees, increases in welfare rolls, and reductions in state services;
3. A radical tax-cutting proposal from Shiawassee County Drain Commissioner Robert Tisch, known as the Tisch Amendment, was defeated in the November general election;
4. Chrysler Corporation's struggle to avoid bankruptcy, including $1.47 billion in losses in the first nine months, the introduction of the K car, and its pursuit of additional federal loan guarantees;
5. The 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit nominating Ronald Reagan as its presidential nominee;
6. The 1980 Kalamazoo tornado of May 13 that killed five persons and injured 80;
7. A compromise over oil drilling in the Pigeon River Country State Forest with new drilling to be permitted in the forest, but under heightened environmental safeguards;
8. The City of Detroit's challenge to the 1980 United States census, including a federal court ruling that the count was deficient by five million, mostly African American and Hispanic, persons;
9. Charles Diggs' resignation from Congress and the start of his prison sentence after his 1978 conviction in a payroll kickback scheme; and
10. The continuing debate over Indian fishing rights and the United States Department of the Interior's restriction on the use of gill nets in the upper Great Lakes.

Also receiving extensive press coverage in Detroit was a controversy over General Motors' plan, supported by local government, to use eminent domain to remove 1,500 homes and 150 businesses to build a new assembly plant in Hamtramck and Poletown.

The AP also selected the state's top sports stories as follows:^[2]

1. The Detroit Lions' selection of Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims as the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL draft and signing him to a three-year, $1.7 million contract;
2. Al Kaline's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the 10th player in history selected on the first ballot;
3. The 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team's compiling a 10–2 record and winning the Big Ten Conference championship;
4. Thomas Hearns of Kronk Gym winning WBA welterweight boxing championship;
5. Joe Kearny and Darryl Rogers quitting Michigan State;
6. The 1980 Detroit Lions' starting the season with four wins but then losing seven of the last 12 games;
7. Michigan State's hiring of Muddy Waters as its head football coach;
8. The Detroit Pistons' trading Bob Lanier on February 4 to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Kent Benson and a 1980 first round draft pick;
9. The hiring Bill Frieder as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team after Johnny Orr left for Iowa State; and
10. The Detroit Red Wings' firing of Ted Lindsay as general manager and Bobby Kromm as head coach.

The year's highlights in Michigan music included Bob Seger's Against the Wind reaching #1 on the album charts, the debut of The Romantics with the song "What I Like About You", and hit singles by Stevie Wonder ("Master Blaster (Jammin')"), Diana Ross ("Upside Down"), and The Spinners ("Working My Way Back to You").