Michigan Minute WKAR Public Media

1959: Mike and Marian Ilitch launched Little Caesars in Garden City, MI. Mike, a former baseball player, redirected his career after an injury, investing $10,000 to start the chain. Little Caesars became the world's largest carry-out pizza chain, enabling the Ilitch family to diversify into sports and entertainment, owning entities like Olympia Entertainment and the Detroit Red Wings.

Sophie Lyons, once one of America's most notorious criminals, passed away in Detroit on this day in 1924. After a notorious career as a thief and conwoman, she transformed into a reformer, advocating for juvenile delinquency rehabilitation. Despite her criminal past, her estate revealed the spoils of her plundered wealth, including valuable jewelry and assets amounting to approximately one million dollars.

1898: Daniel Frank Gerber, born in Fremont, Michigan, pioneered the creation of Gerber Baby food. His innovative approach, supported by his wife Dorothy, led to the establishment of the Gerber Products Company, revolutionizing baby food consumption worldwide.

1903: Civil rights leader Booker T. Washington delivered an empowering speech at Detroit's Light Guard Armory, advocating for racial harmony. 1831: Michigan's oldest continuously published newspaper, the Detroit Free Press and Michigan Intelligencer, made its debut, starting as a humble four-page weekly publication.

1846: Ernestine Rose became the first woman to address the all-male Michigan legislature, advocating for women's suffrage. 2010: The iconic voice of Detroit Tigers baseball, Ernie Harwell, passed away, ending a 42-year career as a beloved broadcaster. Harwell's legacy lives on through his donated sports memorabilia collection to the Detroit Public Library.

2017: A rare Placoderm fossil was unearthed in Alpena, fascinating paleontologists from the University of Michigan. 1921: Boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson, born Walker Smith Jr., left an indelible mark on the sport, hailing from Detroit and achieving six world championships across welterweight and middleweight divisions.