By George B, Eichorn – 2020 Local Year in Sports
Top stories
- The national pandemic, CO-VID19, disrupts professional, college and amateur sports statewide. Fans are banned from attending most events and the 2020
Detroit Grand Prix and annual hydroplane races are off. - Death of No. 6 Al Kaline. One of Detroit’s most revered sports icons passes away in the winter at age 85. A Hall of Famer, leader of the 1968 World Series champion Tigers and an 18-time all-star.
- Lions clean house again as owner Sheila Ford Hamp fires GM Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia hours after an embarrassing loss to Houston on Thanksgiving Day. The Lions’ defense was its worst in franchise history.
- Mark Dantonio steps down in a February surprise move after becoming the school’s all-time winningest coach. Mel Tucker (Colorado Buffalos) replaces him and defeats U-M 27-24 in just his second game.
- Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire quits the team in late September and is
replaced in the off-season by A.J. Hinch who was fired after cheating on games while skipper for the Houston Astros. The Tigers finished 23-35 in a shortened season. - U-M Wolverines are completely stunned as they finish 2-4 in the COVID season. Coach Jim Harbaugh fired his defensive coordinator yet was negotiating a new contract at year’s end.
- The Pistons hire a new boss as Troy Weaver is named general manager after success at Oklahoma City. The club finished just 20-46 and 13 th in the Eastern Conference. Center and franchise star Andre Drummond is traded to Cleveland.
- Tom Izzo tests positive for COVID and the Spartans struggle out of the gate. Izzo returned to the club but losses mounted as the 2020 portion of the new season closed. Meanwhile, U-M and coach Juwan Howard was a perfect 7-0.
- Kevin Harvick of Ford Racing wins back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, August 8-9, before no fans.
- Bryson DeChambeau wins the 2 nd Annual Rocket Mortgage Classic (PGA Tour event) at Detroit Golf Club with a score of 265, 23-under-par. Matthew Wolff finishes second.
DEATHS: Herb Adderley, Larry Adderley, Jay Allen, Bob Allison, Joe Bugel,
Eddie Bush, Rod Campbell, Sam Cisco, Jim Conacher, Dwight Davison, Terry
Duerod, Ed Farmer, David “Smokey” Gaines, Dwight Jones, Al Kaline, Vartan
Kupelian, Al Langlois, Hedgemon Lewis, Dan Marowski, Roger Mayweather, Bob Miller, Greg Montgomery, Merritt Norvell, Herb Orvis, Walt Owens, George Perles, Ron Perranoski, Charlie Primas, Rick Reed, Lovelle Rivers, Joe Roberson, Cliff Robinson, Ali Salaamel, Jamie Samuelsen, Don Shula, Barry Smades, Tony Taylor, John Teerlinck, Tommy Vaughn, Tom Webster, Woody Widenhofer, Sam Wyche, Bill Yeoman.
