2023 in Michigan

← 2022 2021 2020 2023 in Michigan → 2024 2025 2026
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	History of Michigan Historical outline of Michigan List of years in Michigan 2023 in the United States

This article reviews the top news stories, sports stories, and cultural events occurring during the year 2023 in Michigan.

The top news stories in Michigan included: the 2023 Michigan State University shooting; the 2023 United Auto Workers strike; Michigan prosecution of fake electors; the 2023 Lake Huron high-altitude object; the killing of Samantha Woll; the guity plea and sentencing of Ethan Crumbley in the Oxford High School shooting; the 2023 Detroit casino strike; and litigation against Michigan State University in connection with the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.

Top Michigan sports stories of 2023 included: 2023 Michigan Wolverines football team going 15-0 and winning a national championship; the 2023 Detroit Lions compiling a 12–5 record; the firing of Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker amid allegations of sexual harassment; and the University of Michigan football sign-stealing scandal.

Notable Michigan-related deaths in 2023 included former Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Willie Hernández; singer Sixto Rodriguez; actor Tom Sizemore; former Michigan State football coach Denny Stolz; Unabomber and former University of Michigan student Ted Kaczynski; Motown singer Barrett Strong; actress and Detroit native Piper Laurie; former Pistons shooting guard Chris Ford; former Lions center Ed Flanagan; and catcher/sports journalist Jim Price.

Incumbents

State government

• Governor: Gretchen Whitmer (D)
• Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Garlin Gilchrist (D)
• Michigan Attorney General: Dana Nessel (D)
• Michigan Secretary of State: Jocelyn Benson (D)
• Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Joe Tate (D)
• Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate: Winnie Brinks (R)
• Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Kyra Harris Bolden (D)

Mayors of major cities

Mike Duggan

• Mayor of Detroit: Mike Duggan (Democrat)
• Mayor of Warren, Michigan: James R. Fouts/Lori Stone
• Mayor of Grand Rapids: Rosalynn Bliss
• Mayor of Sterling Heights, Michigan: Michael C. Taylor
• Mayor of Ann Arbor: Christopher Taylor (Democrat)
• Mayor of Dearborn: Abdullah Hammoud
• Mayor of Lansing: Andy Schor (Democrat)
• Mayor of Flint: Sheldon Neeley
• Mayor of Saginaw: Brenda Moore

Federal office holders

Debbie Stabenow

Gary Peters

• U.S. Senator from Michigan: Debbie Stabenow (Democrat)
• U.S. Senator from Michigan: Gary Peters (Democrat)
• House District 1: Jack Bergman (Republican)
• House District 2: John Moolenaar (Republican)
• House District 3: Hillary Scholten (Democrat)
• House District 4: Bill Huizenga (Republican)
• House District 5: Tim Walberg (Republican)
• House District 6: Debbie Dingell (Democrat)
• House District 7: Tom Barrett (Republican)
• House District 8: Kristen McDonald Rivet (Democrat)
• House District 9: Lisa McClain (Democrat)
• House District 10: John James (Republican)
• House District 11: Haley Stevens (Democrat)
• House District 12: Rashida Tlaib (Democrat)
• House District 13: Shri Thanedar (Democrat)

Sports

Baseball

• 2023 Detroit Tigers season - Led by manager A. J. Hinch, the Tigers compiled a 78–84 (.481) and finished in second place in the AL Central. The team's statistical leaders included first baseman Spencer Torkelson (31 home runs, 94 RBIs), center fielder Riley Greene (.288 batting average), and Eduardo Rodriguez (13 wins). ^[1]
• 2023 Michigan State Spartans baseball team - In their 14th season under head coach Jake Boss, the Spartans compiled a 33–22 record. ^[2]
• 2023 Michigan Wolverines baseball team - In their first season under head coach Tracy Smith, the Wolverines compiled a 28–28 record. ^[3]
• 2023 Michigan Wolverines softball team - In their first season under head coach Bonnie Tholl, the Wolverines compiled a 26–25 record. ^[4]

American football

• 2023 Detroit Lions season - Led by head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions compiled a 12–5 and won the NFC North championship.
• 2023 Michigan Wolverines football team - In their ninth and final season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines compiled a 15–0 record and won the national championship. Michigan's statistical leaders included quarterback J. J. McCarthy with 2,991 passing yards and running back Blake Corum with 1,245 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns.
• 2023 Michigan State Spartans football team - In their final season under head coach Mel Tucker, the Spartans compiled an 0–8 record, as four ins were later vacated by the NCAA.
• 2023 Michigan Panthers season - The Panthers compiled a 4–6 record.

Basketball

• 2022–23 Detroit Pistons season
• 2022–23 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
• 2022–23 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team

Hockey

• 2022–23 Detroit Red Wings season
• 2022–23 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey season
• 2022–23 Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey season
• 2022–23 Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey season

Auto racing

• 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix
• 2023 Dutch Boy 150
• 2023 FireKeepers Casino 400
• 2023 Henry Ford Health 200
• 2023 Herr's Snacks 200

Other

• 2023 Cranbrook Tennis Classic
• 2023 Detroit City FC season
• 2023 Dow Tennis Classic

Events

February

• February 13 – 2023 Michigan State University shooting: Three people are killed and five others injured in a mass shooting at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The shooter later commits suicide when approached by police. ^[5]

July

• July 18 – Michigan prosecution of fake electors: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announces charges against 16 “fake electors” for former U.S. President Donald Trump in an effort to reverse president Joe Biden’s victory in the state during the 2020 election. ^[6]
• July 27 – USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal: A lawsuit is filed against Michigan State University accusing the school of "illegal secret votes" to prevent the release of 6,000 documents in the case of an investigation involving Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in 2018. ^[7]
• July 30 – Five people are injured, two critically, in a mass shooting at a shopping center in Lansing. ^[8]

August

• August 1 – Two members of the Michigan Republican Party are charged by prosecutors for attempting to tamper with voting machines in Michigan during the 2020 election. ^[9]

September

• September 15-October 30 - 2023 United Auto Workers strike
• September 26 – President Joe Biden visits striking UAW workers near Detroit, becoming the first sitting American president to join a union picket line. ^[10]

October

• October 17-December 2 - 2023 Detroit casino strike
• October 21 - Killing of Samantha Woll

December

• December 8 - Oxford school shooter Ethan Crumbley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. ^[11]
• December 22 - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that two associates of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield had been indicted on 12 felony counts of misappropriating funds. The defendants were Anne Minard, a consultant to Chatfield, and Rob Minard, who served as Chatfield's chief of staff. ^[12]
• December 24 - The Detroit Lions clinched the NFC North championship with a come-from-behind 30-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. ^[13]
• December 27 - Presidential eligibility of Donald Trump#Michigan: The Michigan Supreme Court declined to overturn a lower court decision that rejected an attempt to exclude Donald Trump from the Michigan Republican primary ballot. The underlying suit had contended that Trump was disqualified under the 14th Amendment for having "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the U.S. ^[14]
• December 30 – Three people are killed and three are injured in a house explosion in Northfield Township. ^[15]

Deaths

• January 16 - Johnny Powers, early Detroit rock and rockabilly pioneer, at age 84 ^[16]
• January 17 - Chris Ford, Detroit Pistons shooting guard (1972-82), at age 74 ^[17]
• January 28 - Barrett Strong, singer-songwriter (his "Money (That's What I Want)" was the first hit single for Motown), at age 81 ^[18]
• March 3 - Tom Sizemore, actor and Detroit native, at age 61 in California ^[19]
• March 23 - Jerry Green, Detroit sports writer (1956-2004), Pro Football Hall of Fame, at age 94 ^[20]
• March 31 - Gene Derricotte, UM halfback (1944-48), at age 96
• April 2 - Toni Elling, aka "Satin Doll", burlesque dancer, at age 94
• May 4 - Petr Klima, Red Wings (1985-90), at age 58 ^[21]
• May 7 - Bobby Wilson, defensive tackle for Michigan State and Washington Redskins
• May 10 - Ed Flanagan, Detroit Lions center (1965-74) and member of Lions' all-time team, at age 79 ^[22]
• May 25 - Denny Stolz, Michigan State football HC (1971-75), at age 89 ^[23]
• June 4 - Roger Craig, Detroit Tigers pitching coach (1980-84), at age 93
• June 10 - Ted Kaczynski, Unabomber and former University of Michigan student ^[24]
• June 16 - Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers leaker grew up in Detroit and attended Cranbrook School, at age 92 ^[25]
• June 27 - Ryan Mallett, UM quarterback 2007, at age 35
• July 9 - Mel Wakabayashi, UM hockey center, WCHA POY 1966
• August 2 - Wayne Comer, Detroit Tigers outfielder (1967-680, 1972), at age 79
• August 7 - Jim Price, Detroit Tigers catcher (1967-71), radio analyst/color commentator (1993-2023), at age 81 ^[26]
• August 8 - Sixto Rodriguez, singer from Detroit, gained fame in South Africa, at age 81 ^[27]
• August 30 - Tom Cecchini, linebacker for Michigan (1963-65), at age 78
• September 7 - Geechy Guy, comedian, at age 59
• September 19 - Phil Sellers, Detroit Pistons (1976–77), at age 69
• September 24 - James Skala, UM basketball leading scorer and MVP 1951-52, at age 93
• October 9 - Terry Dischinger, Detroit Pistons (1964-72), at age 82
• October 14 - Piper Laurie, 3-time Oscar-nominated actress born and raised in Detroit, at age 91 ^[28]
• October 21 - Natalie Zemon Davis, historian, at age 94
• October 30 - Frank Howard, Detroit Tigers (1972-730, at age 87
• November 20 - Willie Hernández, Detroit Tigers relief pitcher (1984-89), at age 69 ^[29]
• November 29 - Charles Gilchrist Adams, pastor and professor of ethics, at age 86 ^[30]
• December 18 - Amp Fiddler, singer, songwriter, producer, at age 65 ^[31]
• December 19 - Ed Budde, football guard, All-American at Michigan State, at age 83 ^[32]

See also

• 2023 in the United States

References

1. "2023 Detroit Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
2. "2023 Baseball Schedule". MSUSpartans.com. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
3. "2023 Michigan Baseball Statistics" (PDF). MGoBlue.com. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
4. "2023 Michigan Softball Statistics" (PDF). MGoBlue.com. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
5. Smart, Nouran Salahieh,Sara (February 14, 2023). "Suspect has died of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after mass shooting at Michigan State University left 3 dead and 5 injured, police say". CNN. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
6. "Michigan attorney general charges fake Trump electors over alleged 2020 election crimes". CNBC . July 18, 2023.
7. "Larry Nassar survivors sue Michigan State, saying it made 'secret decisions' about releasing documents". PBS News. July 27, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
8. Xing, Jessica (July 30, 2023). "Michigan shooting: Shots fired at Logan Square Shopping Center in Lansing". CNN. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
9. "Trump allies in Michigan charged with felonies involving voting machines, illegal 'testing'". AP News. August 1, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
10. Collins, Joey Garrison and Michael. "'Folks, stick with it.' Biden joins picket line with striking UAW workers in historic visit". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
11. "Oxford school shooter gets life: Judge rules out parole for teen killer". Detroit Free Press. December 9, 2023. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Chatfield associates face charges". The Ann Arbor News. December 23, 2023. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Lions 30, Vikings 24: Champs of the North!". Detroit Free Press. December 25, 2023. p. 1A – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Mich. high court: Trump will stay on the ballot". Detroit Free Press. December 28, 2023. p. 1A – via Newspapers.com.
15. "4 dead, 2 injured in home explosion outside Detroit". NBC News. December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
16. {cite news|title=Early Detroit rock 'n' roll pioneer Johnny Powwers dies|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Brian McCollum|date=January 21, 2024|page=10A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-early-detroit-rock-n/185164699/%7Cvia= Newspapers.com}}
17. "Ex-Piston Chris Ford, maker of NBA's first 3-pointer, dies at 74". Detroit Free Press. January 19, 2023. p. C3 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Barrett Strong 1941-2023: Songwriter leaves legacy of Motown hits". Detroit Free Press. January 30, 2023. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Sizemore's acting dream, troubled journey began in Detroit". Detroit Free Press. March 5, 2023. p. A5 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Green, Detroit sports writer at 56 Super Bowls, dies". Detroit Free Press. March 25, 2023. p. 8B – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Klima, who died this week at 58, left impact on Wings". Detroit Free Press. May 5, 2023. p. 8C – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Lions all-time team member dies at 79". Detroit Free Press. May 11, 2023. p. 8C – via Newspapers.com.
23. "Former MSU football head coach Denny Stolz dies at 89". Detroit Free Press. May 27, 2023. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Unabomber beginnings trace back to U-M". Detroit Free Press. June 12, 2023. pp. 4A, 6A – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Pentagon Papers leadker had Michigan ties\newspaper=Detroit Free Press". June 19, 2023. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Tigers radio announcer Price dies at the age of 81: Former player was analyst, color man for last 30 years". Detroit Free Press. August 2023. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "Sixto Rodriguez 1942-2023: 'Searching for Sugar Man' musician dies". Detroit Free Press. August 10, 2023. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "Piper Laurie, three-time Oscar nominee, dies at 91". Quad-City Times. October 15, 2023. p. B10 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Guillermo "Willie" Hernandez 1954-2023: A fireman extinguished". Detroit Free Press. November 22, 2023. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com.
30. "Influential Detroit pastor, Charles Gilchrist Adams, dies at age 86". Grand Haven Tribune. December 2–3, 2023. p. A4 – via Newspapers.com.
31. Brian McCollum (December 19, 2023). "Amp Fiddler recalled as creative, innovative". Detroit Free Press. p. 8A – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Ex-Spartan, Kansas City Chief offensive lineman Ed Budde dies". The Herald-Palladium. December 20, 2023. p. B2 – via Newspapers.com.