Sports History
May 1 74th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Arcaro wins aboard Citation to become first 4-time Derby winning jockey
- May 1 North Korea proclaims itself Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- May 1 Glenn Taylor, Idaho Senator, arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, for trying to enter a meeting through a door marked "for Negroes"
Historic Event
May 3 Pulitzer prize awarded to James Michener & Tennessee Williams
- May 3 1st broadcast of "CBS Evening News" - longest running network news show in the US
- May 4 The Hague Court of Justice convicts Nazi SS officer in the Netherlands Hans Rauter of Crimes against Humanity (executed 24 March 1949)
- May 5 1st squadron of jet aircraft aboard a carrier
- May 6 Revival of Jerome Kerns and Clifford Grey's rags-to-riches musical "Sally" opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC; runs for 36 performances
- May 7 Nazi collaborator V-Mann Antonius van de Waals sentenced to death
- May 10 1st attack by Egyptian irregular forces at Kfar Darom Israel
Historic Event
May 10 Winston Churchill visits The Hague
Historic Event
May 12 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicates due to ill health
Israeli Declaration of Independence
May 14 Israel declares independence from British administration
Historic Event
May 14 Golda Meir (Meyerson) is one of the signatories of Israel’s independence declaration
- May 15 28 year old British Mandate over Palestine ends
- May 15 73rd Preakness: Eddie Arcaro wins aboard Citation, 2nd leg of successful Triple Crown
- May 15 Australia scores 721 runs in one day v Essex, world record
- May 15 Troops from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia attack Israel
- May 16 First chess world championship since WWII; Russian player Mikhail Botvinnik wins a 5-player tournament to begin 20-year Russian domination
- May 16 CBS news correspondent George Polk's body is found in Greece
Election of Interest
May 16 Chaim Weizmann elected 1st President of Israel
- May 16 Egyptians enter Gaza
- May 16 Israel issues its 1st postage stamps
- May 17 Israel liberates Acre, Nebi Yusha & Telel-Kadi
- May 17 Soviet Union recognizes Israel
- May 18 "Ballet Ballads" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 62 performances
- May 18 Arab Legion captures fort on Mt Scopus during Arab-Israeli war
- May 18 Saudi Arabia joins invasion of Israel
- May 18 The First Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China officially convenes in Nanking
- May 20 Cleveland Indians tie AL record of 18 walks (beat Red Sox 13-4)
Sports History
May 21 NY Yank Joe DiMaggio hits for cycle (single, double, triple, HR)
- May 23 Future Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder Joe DiMaggio hits 3 consecutive HRs as the New York Yankees edge the Indians, 6-5 at Cleveland Stadium
- May 23 Ramat Rahel gateway to Jerusalem is repossessed by Israel
Music Premiere
May 24 Benjamin Britten's "Beggar's Opera" premieres at Arts Theatre, Cambridge, England
PGA Championship
May 25 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Norwood Hills CC: Ben Hogan scores a convincing 7 & 6 win over Mike Turnesa in the Tuesday final for his 2nd PGA crown
- May 25 San Francisco receives its 1st telecast
Execution
May 25 Polish war hero Witold Pilecki is executed by communist police after a show trial in Warsaw
Sports History
May 27 Hank Greenberg buys an interest in the Cleveland Indians
- May 28 Israeli Air Force is officially founded shortly after the start of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
- May 28 Iraq captures Ge'ulim settlement
- May 29 French Championships Men's Tennis: Frank Parker wins 1st of 2 straight French titles; beats Jaroslav Drobný 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 8-6
- May 29 French Championships Women's Tennis: Belgium-born but representing France, Nelly Landry beats American Shirley Fry 6-2, 0-6, 6-0 for her lone major title
Baseball Record
May 30 Schenectady Blue Jays Tommy Lasorda strikes out 25 in 15-inning game
- May 30 A dike along the flooding Columbia River breaks, obliterating Vanport, Oregon within minutes. Fifteen people die and tens of thousands are left homeless.
- May 31 Tommy Lasorda strikes out 25 Amsterdam Rugmakers (in 15 innings)
- May 31 Indianapolis 500: For the second straight year, Blue Crown Spark Plug teammates Mauri Rose and Bill Holland finish 1st-2nd; Rose the second driver to win the 500 in consecutive years