By George B. Eichorn
What a year in sports 2019 was! It’s time to reflect on the previous 12 months and give you our top 15 local sports stories plus pay respect to those who passed on locally and nationally.
1. Losing ways grip Detroit Sports scene as the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and Pistons end the calendar year with sub-.500 records.
2. “The Captain” returns to Hockeytown: Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman replaces Ken Holland as Red Wings general manager and the new architect of the rebuild.
3. Michigan State Spartans advanced to its nation’s-best eighth Final Four in the last 21 seasons. Losing to Texas Tech 61-51 in the NCAA semi-finals in Minneapolis.
4. Red Wings fans mourn No. 7 as Ted Lindsay dies and soon afterwards No. 4 Red Kelly.
5. U-M Wolverines again pounded by Ohio State in their season finale sending U-M to the Citrus Bowl (versus Alabama) and OSU to the National Football semi-finals Fiesta Bowl. U-M finishes 9-4.
6. Lions limp home with a 3-12-1 record as Coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn are asked to return in 2020 by owner Martha Firestone Ford. QB Matthew Stafford loses half the season to injuries.
7. College World Series features the U-M Wolverines under coach Erik Bakich for the first time since 1984. U-M loses in the final game, 7-4, to champion Vanderbilt.
8. MSU Football slips to a 7-6 season and with losses mounting, coach Mark Dantonio says he’s returning in 2020.
9. Tigers show no spark in 2019 as they finish dead last in all of Major League Baseball at 47-114 and the second-worst season in franchise history.
10. Pistons (41-41) qualify for the NBA playoffs at end of the 2018-19 season yet lose in four straight games to No. 1 seed Milwaukee. At the end of 2019 they were a miserable 12-22.
11. Red Wings finish the ‘18-‘19 season at 32-40-10 under Jeff Blashill. They regress at the end of the current season with a 10-28-3 mark, good for last place in the Eastern Conference.
12. Ford drivers rule the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway as Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick take the checkered flags.
13. Unknown Nate Lashley wins the inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA Tour event at Detroit Golf Club in Palmer Park. Large crowds pack the jewel of a course!
14. Detroit Grand Prix is run successfully on Belle Isle as Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon will the two races.
15. Eastern Michigan Eagles lose at Ford Field in the Quick Lane Bowl December 26, 34-30, to the Pitt Panthers before 34,765.
LOCAL DEATHS – George Benko V, Mickey Briggs, Hank Bullough, Jim Bouton, Arnie Brown, Will Brunson, Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, Don Chiodo, Mike Cofer, Gunther Cunningham, Rick Down, Bump Elliott, Rick Forzano, Gus Ganakas, Alex Grammas, Danny Grant, Lenny Green, Donnie Greene, Joe Grzenda, Bill Halls, Lulu Harwell, Rusty Hilger, Ron Hughes, Greg Johnson, Marlo Jones, Red Kelly, Dick Kempthorn, Jerry Krall, Danny LaRose, Ted Lepcio, Ted Lindsay, Keyonta Marshall, Fred McLeod, Don Mossi, Hal Naragon, Chace Numata, Nick Polano, Dean Prentice, Joe Presko, Kendric Price, Rick Rasnick, Mike Roarke, Earle Robinson, Charles Rogers, Scott Sanderson, Bob Shoemaker, Charlie Silvera, Helen Smith, Sam “Sonny” Taub, Ron Watson, Zachary Winston.
NATIONAL DEATHS – Edward Aschoff, Neiron Ball, Joe Bellino, Cedric Benson, Bill Bidwill, Herman Boone, Cliff Branch, Willie Brown, Bill Buckner, Nick Buoniconti, Red Cashion, Kelly Catlin, Reggie Cobb, Eric Cooper, Chet Coppock, John Coughlin, Fred Cox, Chris Duncan, Alice Dye, Andy Etchebarren, Pete Frates, Hayden Fry, J.D. Gibbs, Forrest Gregg, Jim Gregory, John Havlicek, Bronco Horvath, Harry Howell, Anthoine Hubert, Al Jackson, Brenda Jackson, JumpinJackie Jackson, Dan Jenkins, Junior Johnson, Niki Lauda, Harold Lederman, Gene Littler, Frank Lucchesi, John MacLeod, Gino Marchetti, Carly McCord, Jim McKean, Chuck Meriwether, Walt Michaels, John Newcombe, Tom Nissalke, John Ralston, Frank Robinson, John Ralston, Rosie Ruiz, Tyler Skaggs, Marilynn Smith, Sir Peter Snell, Bart Starr, Mel Stottlemyre, Pat Sullivan, Dick Tomey, Jack Whitaker, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, Glen Wood.
Reach George Eichorn at [email protected].
