▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁fil ing ▁for ▁its ▁first ▁public ▁stock ▁offering ▁scheduled ▁for ▁January , ▁that ▁its ▁net ▁income ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁nine ▁months ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁was ▁$ 3 1 2 ▁million . ▁ ▁December ▁ 2 6 ▁- ▁A ▁fire ▁at ▁Ed gew ater ▁Park , ▁a ▁ 2 0 - acre ▁am usement ▁park ▁at ▁Grand ▁River ▁and ▁Seven ▁M ile ▁Road ▁in ▁Detroit , ▁destroyed ▁the ▁large ▁ar cade ▁building ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁roll er ▁co aster ▁structure . ▁The ▁fl ames ▁rose ▁ 1 0 0 ▁feet ▁into ▁the ▁air , ▁and ▁smoke ▁was ▁visible ▁from ▁ 1 0 ▁miles . ▁Ar son ▁was ▁sus pected ▁as ▁the ▁cause . ▁ ▁December ▁ 2 7 ▁- ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁CE O ▁Har low ▁Curt ice ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁Time ▁Man ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁Time ▁wrote ▁that ▁it ▁chose ▁Curt ice ▁" because ▁of ▁his ▁leadership ▁in ▁the ▁free , ▁compet itive , ▁expand ing ▁American ▁economy ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁ke yst one ▁of ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁against ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁world ." ▁ ▁B irth s ▁▁▁ ▁January ▁ 1 ▁- ▁Bob ▁O w ch ink o , ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁pitch er ▁( 1 9 7 6 – 1 9 8 6 ), ▁in ▁Detroit ▁ ▁January ▁ 8 ▁- ▁Ruth ▁Johnson , ▁Michigan ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁in ▁Hol ly , ▁Michigan ▁ ▁January ▁ 9 ▁- ▁J . ▁K . ▁Sim