Events from the year 1988 in Michigan included: the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, while en route to Detroit; Jesse Jackson's victory over Michael Dukakis in the Michigan Democratic caucus; the crack cocaine epidemic in Detroit; the state's voters passing a ballot proposal prohibiting Medicaid-funded abortions; the induction of The Supremes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Grammy Awards won by multiple Michigan artists (including Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Smokey Robinson, Yusef Lateef, Robin Williams, CeCe Winans, and Narada Michael Walden); Steve Yzerman's emergence as the state's most popular athlete; and the Detroit Pistons defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA semifinals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games of the 1988 NBA Finals.
Top Michigan news stories The Associated Press (AP) selected the top stories in Michigan for 1988 as follows:
Michigan voters in November 1988 approved Proposal A prohibiting Medicaid-paid abortions. It passed by a margin of 1.94 million to 1.48 million. With the vote, Michigan joined 36 other states in banning Medicaid abortions. In 1987, Michigan had spent $6 million to fund 18,000 abortions. The Michigan Legislature had voted 17 times to ban Medicaid-funded abortions between 1977 and 1987 but it was vetoed each time by Governors James Blanchard or William Milliken. A drought that shriveled crops and led Gov. James Blanchard to impose a statewide ban on outdoor burning, fireworks and cigarette smoking. Presidential politics, including Pat Robertson's popularity, Jesse Jackson's victory in the Michigan caucus, and Michael Dukakis losing the state. (tie) The creation of the Michigan Education Trust guaranteeing college tuition for youngsters who enrolled. Some 40,344 children were enrolled in 1988. (tie) Debate over changes in school financing. Medical waste, including hypodermic needles with traces of blood, washed up on Lake Michigan shoreline, forcing temporary beach closures. The approval and subsequent litigation over the joint operating agreement (JOA) between The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. The papers, rivals for 115 years, combined business operations. The JOA was approved by Attorney General Edwin Meese in August 1988. The trial and conviction of Alberta Easter and her three sons (William, George and Roy Lemons) for the July 1987 Inkster police slayings in which three Inkster police officers (Sgt. Ira Parker and officers Daniel Dubiel and Clay Hoover) were killed in a hail of gunfire inside a room at the Bungalow Motel. The officers were trying to serve a warrant on Easter for writing a bad check. After a 13-week trial, the jury in August 1988 found all four guilty of first-degree murder The war against crack cocaine in Detroit, including raids on hundreds of crackhouses and trials and convictions of Richard Wershe Jr. ("White Boy Rick") and the Chambers Brothers gang. The 10-day hunt for Vincent Loonsfoot through Upper Peninsula woods. Loonsfoort was wanted for fatally shooting four members of his ex-wife's family at the Hannahville Indian Reservation near Escanaba. Loonsfoot eventually surrendered. He was convicted on four counts of first-degree murder in December 1988.
The AP voting was conducted prior to the December 23 crash of Pan Am Flight 103 en route from Frankfurt and London to Detroit.
The AP also conducted a poll of Michigan sports editors who selected the state's top sports stories as follows:
The 1987–88 Detroit Pistons defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA semifinals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games of the 1988 NBA Finals. The 1987 Michigan State Spartans football team's 20–17 victory over USC in the 1988 Rose Bowl. The 1987–88 Detroit Red Wings advancing the Stanley Cup semifinals where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in five games. Kirk Gibson's signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Detroit Tigers finishing in second place by one game in the American League East. The Detroit Lions' firing of Darryl Rogers and replacing him with Wayne Fontes. Flint native Jim Abbott leading the US baseball team in the baseball competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The 1988 Michigan Wolverines football team winning the Big Ten championship and earning a berth in the 1989 Rose Bowl. Steve Yzerman emerging as a star with a 50-goal season. The Red Wings' suspension of Bob Probert and Petr Klíma and their rejoining the team in November.
In a separate poll by the Detroit Free Press, readers selected the top sports figures of 1988. The top 10 were Steve Yzerman (162 points), Jim Abbott (117 points), kayaker and 2x gold medalist Greg Barton (82 points), Traverse City football coach Jim Ooley (81 points), Central Michigan basketball player Dan Majerle (70 points), Isiah Thomas (57 points), Farmington Hills quarterback Mill Coleman (52 points), Kirk Gibson (44 points), Bo Schembechler (35 points), and Steve Avery (Steve Avery (baseball) or Steve Avery (American football)?) (33 points).
Office holders State office holders
Governor of Michigan: James Blanchard (Democrat) Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Martha Griffiths (Democrat) Michigan Attorney General: Frank J. Kelley (Democrat) Michigan Secretary of State: Richard H. Austin (Democrat) Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Gary Owen (Democrat) Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate: John Engler (Republican) Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Dorothy C. Riley
Mayors of major cities Mayor of Detroit: Coleman Young Mayor of Grand Rapids: Gerald R. Helmholdt Mayor of Warren, Michigan: Ronald L. Bonkowski Mayor of Sterling Heights, Michigan: Jean DiRezze Gush Mayor of Flint: Matthew S. Collier Mayor of Dearborn: Michael Guido Mayor of Lansing: Terry John McKane Mayor of Ann Arbor: Gerald Jernigan (Republican) Mayor of Saginaw: Delbert J. Schrems
Federal office holders
U.S. Senator from Michigan: Donald W. Riegle Jr. (Democrat) U.S. Senator from Michigan: Carl Levin (Democrat) House District 1: John Conyers (Democrat) House District 2: Carl Pursell (Republican) House District 3: Howard Wolpe (Republican) House District 4: Fred Upton (Republican) House District 5: Harold S. Sawyer (Republican) House District 6: Bob Carr (Democrat) House District 7: Dale Kildee (Democrat) House District 8: J. Bob Traxler (Democrat) House District 9: Guy Vander Jagt (Republican) House District 10: Bill Schuette (Republican) House District 11: Robert William Davis (Republican) House District 12: David Bonior (Democrat) House District 13: George Crockett Jr. (Democrat) House District 14: Dennis M. Hertel (Democrat) House District 15: William D. Ford (Democrat) House District 16: John Dingell (Democrat) House District 17: Sander Levin (Democrat) House District 18: William Broomfield (Republican)
Population
Sports Baseball 1988 Detroit Tigers season - Led by manager Sparky Anderson, the Tigers compiled an 88-74 record, one game behind the first-place Boston Red Sox. The team's statistical leaders included Alan Trammell (.311 batting average, 69 RBIs), Darrell Evans (22 home runs), Jack Morris (15 wins), and Mike Henneman (1.87 ERA).
American football 1988 Detroit Lions season - Led by head coaches Darryl Rogers (11 games) and Wayne Fontes (6 games), the Lions compiled a 4–12 record. The team's leaders included Rusty Hilger (1,558 passing yards), Garry James (552 rushing yards), Pete Mandley (617 receiving yards, Eddie Murray (82 points scored), and Chris Spielman (153 tackles).
1988 Michigan Wolverines football team - In their 20th year under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 9–2–1 record, won the Big Ten championship, and defeated USC in the 1989 Rose Bowl. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Michael Taylor (957 passing yards), tailback Tony Boles (1,408 rushing yards), split end Greg McMurtry (470 receiving yards), and placekicker Mike Gillette (97 points scored).
1988 Michigan State Spartans football team - In their sixth year under head coach George Perles, the Spartans compiled a 6–5–1 record. The team's statistical leaders included Bobby McAllister (1,118 passing yards), Blake Ezor (1,350 rushing yards), Andre Rison (30 receptions for 709 yards), and John Langeloh (83 points scored).
Basketball 1987–88 Detroit Pistons season - Led by head coach Chuck Daly, the Pistons compiled a 54–28 record, advancing the NBA Finals where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Statistical leaders included Isiah Thomas (1,577 points, 678 assists) and Bill Laimbeer (832 rebounds).
1987–88 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team - Led by Bill Frieder, the Wolverines compiled a 26–8 record and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Statistical leaders included Glen Rice (728 points, 236 rebounds) and Gary Grant (234 assists).
1987–88 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team
Ice hockey 1987–88 Detroit Red Wings season - Led by coach Jacques Demers, the Red Wings compiled a 41–28–11 record, losing to eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers.
Music and culture
January 20 - Motown's The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (along with The Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys). Diana Ross did not attend the induction ceremony. Mary Wilson was the only member to appear at the ceremony, as Florence Ballard died in 1976, and Cindy Birdsong, who joined the group in 1967, was not invited. January 25 - Anita Baker won twice at the American Music Awards of 1988: Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Rapture) February 17 - "Young at Heart", a documentary by Detroit filmmakers, received an Academy Award nomination. It later won the award. March 2 - Multiple Michigan artists won Grammy Awards. Aretha Franklin won two with one award each to Anita Baker, Smokey Robinson, Yusef Lateef, Robin Williams, CeCe Winans, and Narada Michael Walden. March 4 - Smokey Robinson's single "Just to See Her" was released. It awarded the 1988 Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. March 31 - University of Michigan professor William Bolcom won the Pulitzer Prize in music for his composition "12 New Etudes for Piano" October 18 - Anita Baker's Giving You the Best That I Got (album) was released. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. November 5 - The song "If We Hold On Together" by Diana Ross, the theme song from The Land Before Time, became a hit (No. 1 in Japan). November 17 - You Can Dance album from Madonna was released, featuring remixes of tracks from her first three albums, including Holiday and Into the Groove. Stevie Wonder's "Skeletons" received two 1988 Grammy Award nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
Chronology of events January January 1 - The 1997 Michigan State Spartans football team defeated USC in the 1988 Rose Bowl. January 2 - Protests over the USA-Canada free trade agreement clogged the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit January 4 - Former state Senator Basil W. Brown sentenced to six months in prison for delivering cocaine and marijuana to a prostitute. January 8 - Former Michigan National Bank chairman Stanford "Bud" Stoddard sentenced to three years in federal prison following his conviction for fraud. January 10 - Auto dealer Michael Rinke and two others died after crash of small airplane following takeoff from Oakland Pontiac Airport. January 13 - Two were injured after shootout between two mothers at Stellwagen Elementary School in Detroit. January 29 - Kirk Gibson signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending his time with the Detroit Tigers.
February February 4 - "White Boy Rick" Wershe sentenced to life in prison. February 12 - Detroit Mayor Coleman Young appointed a commission to study casino gambling in the city.