 Classic SI photo by John W. McDonough |
When we was fab
The most-heralded of all freshman collegiate basketball classes (from left to right, the University of Michigan's Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose) didn't win an NCAA title, but made plenty of headlines along the way.
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FACES IN THE CROWD |
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Tony Dungy Jackson
Jan. 26, 1970 -- Tony Dungy, 14, student president of Frost Junior High in Jackson, Mich., threw 23 touchdown passes over the past three seasons, is high scorer in basketball for the third straight year and has never been defeated in high and low hurdles and long jump in track.
Career highlight: Starting quarterback at the University of Minnesota has gone on to successful NFL coaching career.
Now photo by Al Tielemans
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Joe Louis, Detroit
Brown Bomber's 12-year reign (1937-49) was longest of any heavyweight champion; won 25 consecutive title defenses.
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Earvin (Magic) Johnson, Lansing
Took Michigan State to 1979 NCAA championship; won three MVP awards while leading Lakers to five NBA titles.
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Charlie Gehringer, Fowlerville
Had 2,839 career hits, all as a Tiger; started at second base for AL in first six All-Star Games.
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FLASHBACK |
1997: Crushed
The Red Wings swept to their first Stanley Cup in 42 years by outskating, outhitting and outplaying the overmatched Flyers
For 42 years the city of Detroit had waited. Through nine presidents, through tail fins and K-cars and ABS brakes, through cold wars and cold teams, through whatever historical blank you care to fill in.
FULL STORY
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SI COVERS |
Motown Mowdown
It took Alan Trammel and the Tigers five games to dispose of San Diego in the 1984 World Series, in which Detroit became only the second team to go wire to wire in the regular season and win a championship. Sparky Anderson also became the first manager to win world championships in both leagues.
Click here to see a gallery of every Detroit cover
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THE SI POLL |
Who do Michiganders root for? SI asked the Great Lakes State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
Detroit Tigers | 47% |
Chicago Cubs | 10% |
Favorite NFL team
Detroit Lions | 50% |
Green Bay Packers | 8% |
Chicago Bears | 6% |
Favorite NBA team
Detroit Pistons | 60% |
No favorite | 27% |
Favorite NHL team
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Favorite pro team
Detroit Red Wings | 48% |
Detroit Lions | 12% |
Detroit Pistons | 7% |
Detroit Tigers | 5% |
Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state:
Gordie Howe | 20% |
Magic Johnson | 19% |
Barry Sanders | 17% |
Steve Yzerman | 7% |
Al Kaline | 6% |
State's biggest rivalry
Mich.-Mich. State | 83% |
Mich.-Ohio State | 8% |
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Favorite announcer
Ernie Harwell | 41% |
John Madden | 13% |
More a fan of college or pro sports?
Pro | 44% |
College | 27% |
Equal | 30% |
Favorite sport to play
Golf | 25% |
Bowling | 14% |
Fishing | 12% |
Swimming | 10% |
Favorite sports to watch on TV**
Football | 79% |
Hockey | 60% |
Winter Olympics | 49% |
Summer Olympics | 43% |
**Multiple responses allowed. | |
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*Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 415 Kansas residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error: +/-5%.
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: Jan. 26, 1837 (26th state)
Area: 96,810 square miles
Bird: Robin
Capital: Lansing
Economy: Agriculture -- Dairy products, apples, blueberries, cattle, vegetables, hogs, corn, nursery stock, soybeans. Industry -- Motor vehicles and parts, machinery, fabricated metal products, food processing, chemical products, mining, tourism.
Flower: Apple Blossom (Malus coronaria)
Nickname: Great Lakes State
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Population: 9,938,444 (8th)
Pro sports teams: Detroit Fury (AFL), Detroit Lions (NFL), Detroit Pistons (NBA), Detroit Red Wings (NHL), Detroit Shock (WNBA), Detroit Tigers (MLB), Grand Rapids Rampage (AFL)
Major college programs: Central Michigan Chippewas, Eastern Michigan Eagles, Ferris State Bulldogs, University of Michigan Wolverines, Lake Superior State Lakers, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Tech Huskies, Northern Michigan Wildcats, Western Michigan Broncos
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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.806 Marty Turco's winning percentage as a goaltender at the University of Michigan, a career that included national championships in 1996 and '98.
5 Franchise numbers retired from the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys teams of the late 1980s and early '90s, including Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson, Bill Laimbeer, Isiah Thomas and coach Chuck Daly
8 Days over which Mickey Lolitch beat the St. Louis Cardinals three times, including Game 7 vs. Bob Gibson, during the Tigers' 1968 World Series run. The team rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit to win its first championship in 23 years.
9 Games Denny McLain had won as of June 6, 1968, the day Senator Robert F. Kennedy was pronounced dead, and one day after McLain upped his record to 9-1 with a win over the Red Sox. While the United States experienced one of its most tumultuous years McLain became the first pitcher since 1934 to win 30 games (he won 31).
18 NCAA Division I hockey titles won by Michigan-based schools since 1948, including the University of Michigan's nine.
23 Age at which Steve Yzerman, in 1989, held more single-season Red Wings scoring records than Gordie Howe.
34 Yards shy of his city (Wichita, Kan.) rushing title 17-year-old Barry Sanders was when he, with eight minutes remaining and 252 yards rushing to that point on the day, walked off the field. Sanders made a similar exit when he was nine minutes and 10 yards from the 1989 NFL rushing title.
42 Points Lansing native -- and 12-time NBA All-Star -- Magic Johnson, then a rookie, scored in a game on May 16, 1980 ... as a center.
399 Home runs hit by the Tigers' Al Kaline between 1953-74. Kaline still holds franchise records for career home runs, walks (1,148) and games played with 2,834. Ty Cobb, who wore a Tigers uniform from 1905-26, ranks second in games played with 2,806. Cobb, however, ranks first in at bats (10,586), runs (2,087), hits (3,902), doubles (664), triples (286), RBIs (1,805) and stolen bases (865).
6,783 Games played at Tiger Stadium, including its final game on Sept. 27, 1999, an 8-2 win over the Royals in front of 63,356 fans.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
Woody Hayes
The famously cantankerous Ohio State football coach is the first posthumous recipient of Enemy of the State honors. Michiganders' most hated foes: Hayes's Buckeyes (54%), the Colorado Avalanche (18%) and the Green Bay Packers (7%).
Woody Hayes | 15% |
George Steinbrenner | 13% |
Patrick Roy | 13% |
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