# 1931 in Michigan

Events from the year 1931 in Michigan.

## Office holders
### State office holders

* Governor of Michigan: Wilber M. Brucker (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Luren D. Dickinson (Republican)
* Michigan Attorney General: Paul W. Voorhies (Republican)
* Michigan Secretary of State: Frank D. Fitzgerald (Republican)
* Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Fred R. Ming (Republican)
* Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Henry M. Butzel

### Mayors of major cities

* Mayor of Detroit: Frank Murphy (Democrat)
* Mayor of Grand Rapids: John D. Karel
* Mayor of Flint: William H. McKeighan
* Mayor of Saginaw: Ben N. Mercer
* Mayor of Lansing: Peter F. Gray
* Mayor of Ann Arbor: Edward W. Staebler/H. Wirt Newkirk

### Federal office holders

* U.S. Senator from Michigan: James J. Couzens (Republican)
* U.S. Senator from Michigan: Arthur Vandenberg (Republican)
* House District 1: Robert H. Clancy (Democrat)
* House District 2: Earl C. Michener (Republican)
* House District 3: Joseph L. Hooper (Republican)
* House District 4: John C. Ketcham (Republican)
* House District 5: Carl E. Mapes (Republican)
* House District 6: Grant M. Hudson (Republican)/Seymour H. Person (Republican)
* House District 7: Louis C. Cramton (Republican)/Jesse P. Wolcott (Republican)
* House District 8: Bird J. Vincent (Republican)/Michael J. Hart (Democrat)
* House District 9: James C. McLaughlin (Republican)
* House District 10: Roy O. Woodruff (Republican)
* House District 11: Frank P. Bohn (Democrat)
* House District 12: W. Frank James (Republican)
* House District 13: Clarence J. McLeod (Republican)

## Population

In the 1930 United States census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 4,842,325, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1940, Michigan's population had increased by 8.5% to 5,256,106.

### Cities

The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 20,000 based on 1930 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1920 and 1940 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.
| 1930 Rank | City | County | 1920 Pop. | 1930 Pop. | 1940 Pop. | Change 1930-40 |
| 1 | Detroit | Wayne | 993,678 | 1,568,662 | 1,623,452 | 3.5% |
| 2 | Grand Rapids | Kent | 137,634 | 168,592 | 164,292 | −2.6% |
| 3 | Flint | Genesee | 91,599 | 156,492 | 151,543 | −3.2% |
| 4 | Saginaw | Saginaw | 61,903 | 80,715 | 82,794 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Lansing | Ingham | 57,327 | 78,397 | 78,753 | 0.5% |
| 6 | Pontiac | Oakland | 34,273 | 64,928 | 66,626 | 2.6% |
| 7 | Hamtramck | Wayne | 48,615 | 56,268 | 49,839 | −11.4% |
| 8 | Jackson | Jackson | 48,374 | 55,187 | 49,656 | −10.0% |
| 9 | Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo | 48,487 | 54,786 | 54,097 | −1.3% |
| 10 | Highland Park | Wayne | 46,499 | 52,959 | 50,810 | −4.1% |
| 11 | Dearborn | Wayne | 2,470 | 50,358 | 63,589 | 26.3% |
| 12 | Bay City | Bay | 47,554 | 47,355 | 47,956 | 1.3% |
| 13 | Battle Creek | Calhoun | 36,164 | 45,573 | 43,453 | −4.7% |
| 14 | Muskegon | Muskegon | 36,570 | 41,390 | 47,697 | 15.2% |
| 15 | Port Huron | St. Clair | 25,944 | 31,361 | 32,759 | 4.5% |
| 16 | Wyandotte | Wayne | 13,851 | 28,368 | 30,618 | 7.9% |
| 17 | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | 19,516 | 26,944 | 29,815 | 10.7% |
| 18 | Royal Oak | Oakland | 6,007 | 22,904 | 25,087 | 9.5% |
| 19 | Ferndale | Oakland | 2,640 | 20,855 | 22,523 | 8.0% |

### Counties

The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 50,000 based on 1930 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1920 and 1940 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases.
| 1930 Rank | County | Largest city | 1920 Pop. | 1930 Pop. | 1940 Pop. | Change 1930-40 |
| 1 | Wayne | Detroit | 1,177,645 | 1,888,946 | 2,015,623 | 6.7% |
| 2 | Kent | Grand Rapids | 183,041 | 240,511 | 246,338 | 2.4% |
| 3 | Genesee | Flint | 125,668 | 211,641 | 227,944 | 7.7% |
| 4 | Oakland | Pontiac | 90,050 | 211,251 | 254,068 | 20.3% |
| 5 | Saginaw | Saginaw | 100,286 | 120,717 | 130,468 | 8.1% |
| 6 | Ingham | Lansing | 81,554 | 116,587 | 130,616 | 12.0% |
| 7 | Jackson | Jackson | 72,539 | 92,304 | 93,108 | 0.9% |
| 8 | Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo | 71,225 | 91,368 | 100,085 | 9.5% |
| 9 | Calhoun | Battle Creek | 72,918 | 87,043 | 94,206 | 8.2% |
| 10 | Muskegon | Muskegon | 62,362 | 84,630 | 94,501 | 11.7% |
| 11 | Berrien | Benton Harbor | 62,653 | 81,066 | 89,117 | 9.9% |
| 12 | Macomb | Warren | 38,103 | 77,146 | 107,638 | 39.5% |
| 13 | Bay | Bay City | 69,548 | 69,474 | 74,981 | 7.9% |
| 14 | St. Clair | Port Huron | 58,009 | 67,563 | 76,222 | 12.8% |
| 15 | Washtenaw | Ann Arbor | 49,520 | 65,530 | 80,810 | 23.3% |
| 16 | Ottawa | Holland | 47,660 | 54,858 | 59,660 | 8.8% |
| 17 | Houghton | Houghton | 71,930 | 52,851 | 47,631 | −9.9% |
| 18 | Monroe | Monroe | 37,115 | 52,485 | 58,620 | 11.7% |
| 19 | Lenawee | Adrian | 47,767 | 49,849 | 53,110 | 6.5% |

## Sports
### Baseball

* 1931 Detroit Tigers season – Under manager Bucky Harris, the Tigers compiled a 61-93 record and finished in seventh place in the American League. The team's statistical leaders included John Stone with a .327 batting average and 10 home runs, Dale Alexander with 87 RBIs, Earl Whitehill and Vic Sorrell with 13 wins each, and George Uhle with a 3.50 earned run average.
* 1931 Michigan Wolverines baseball season - Under head coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverines compiled a 14–9–1 record. Jack Tompkins was the team captain.

### American football

* 1931 Michigan Wolverines football team – Under head coach Harry Kipke, the Wolverines compiled an 8–1–1 record and tied for the Big Ten Conference championship. Bill Hewitt was selected as the team's most valuable player.
* 1931 Detroit Titans football team – The Titans compiled a 7–2–1 record under head coach Gus Dorais.
* 1931 Michigan State Spartans football team – Under head coach Jim Crowley, the Spartans compiled a 5–3–1 record.
* 1931 Western State Hilltoppers football team - Under head coach Mike Gary, the Hilltoppers compiled a 5–2 record.
* 1931 Michigan State Normal Hurons football team - Under head coach Elton Rynearson, the Hurons compiled a 3–2–1 record.
* 1931 Central State Bearcats football team - Under head coach George Van Bibber the Bercats compiled a 4–3 record.
* 1931 City College of Detroit football team – The City College of Detroit (later known as Wayne State University compiled a 0–6–1 record under head coach Norman G. Wann.

### Basketball

* 1930–31 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team – Under head coach Benjamin Van Alstyne, the Spartans compiled a 16–1 record.
* 1930–31 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team – Under head coach Buck Read, the Broncos compiled a 14–3 record.
* 1930–31 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team – Under head coach Franklin Cappon, the Wolverines compiled a 13–4 record.
* 1930–31 City College of Detroit (CCD) men's basketball team – Under coach Newman Ertell, CCD (later known as Wayne State) compiled an 11–8 record.
* 1930–31 Detroit Titans men's basketball team – Under head coach Lloyd Brazil, the Titans compiled a 10–9 record.

### Ice hockey

* 1930–31 Detroit Falcons season – Under coach Jack Adams, the Falcons compiled a 16–21–7 record and finished in fourth place in the National Hockey League (NHL) American Division. Ebbie Goodfellow led the team with 25 goals, 23 assists, and 48 points. Dolly Dolson was the team's goaltender.
* 1930–31 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team – Under head coach Ed Lowrey, the Wolverines compiled a 10–5–2 record.
* 1930–31 Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey team – Under head coach Bert Noblet, the Huskies compiled a 2–7 record.

### Other

* Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race –
* Michigan Open -

## Chronology of events
### September

* September 16 - Collingwood Manor Massacre

### December
## Births

* March 9 - Sam Williams, NFL defensive lineman (1959-1967), in Dansville, Michigan
* March 25 - Roger Zatkoff, NFL player (1953-1958), in Hamtramck, Michigan
* June 20 - James Tolkan, actor (Back to the Future trilogy, WarGames, Top Gun), in Calumet, Michigan
* July 16 - Mighty Igor, professional wrestler billed as the "World's Strongest Wrestler", in Dearborn, Michigan
* July 21 - J. Bob Traxler, U.S. Congressman (1974-1993), in Kawkawlin, Michigan
* July 26 - William L. Rowe, philosopher of religion, in Detroit
* August 26 - Guy Vander Jagt, U.S. Congressman (1966-1993), in Cadillac, Michigan
* September 6 - Sander Levin, U.S. Congressman (1983-2013), in Detroit
* October 22 - Ann Rule, true crime author (The Stranger Beside Me), in Lowell, Michigan
* December 7 - Billy Wells, NFL/AFL halfback (1954-1960), in Menominee, Michigan

### Gallery of 1931 births

* Roger Zatkoff
* J. Bob Traxler
* Guy Vander Jagt
* Sander Levin

## Deaths

* June 13 - Samuel William Smith, U.S. Congressman (1897-1915), at age 78 in Detroit
* July 18 - Bird J. Vincent, U.S. Congressman (1923-1931), at age 51 aboard a ship in the Pacific Ocean
* September - Robert R. Blacker, Michigan Secretary of State (1891–1892), at age 86 in Santa Monica, California
* October 6 - Albert M. Todd, founder of the A.M. Todd Company, a world leader in the production of peppermint oil and other botanical extracts, at age 81 in Kalamazoo, Michigan
* November 26 - Edmond H. Barmore, the first University of Michigan quarterback, at age 71 in Los Angeles

### Gallery of 1931 deaths

* Samuel W. Smith
* Bird J. Vincent
* Robert R. Blacker
* Albert M. Todd
* Edmond H. Barmore