- May 3 Chris Cannizzaro, American baseball player, born in Oakland, California (d. 2016)
- May 7 Johnny Caldwell, Irish flyweight boxer (Olympic bronze 1956), born in Belfast, Ireland (d. 2009)
- May 8 Javed Burki, cricketer (Pakistani batsman in 25 Tests 1960-69)
- May 10 Manuel Santana, Spanish tennis player (4-time Grand Slam singles champion), born in Madrid, Spain
- May 10 Merritt Ranew, baseball player
- May 20 Christina Bass-Kaiser, 3K Dutch speed skater (Olympic gold 1972)
- May 24 Glen Hall, South African cricket leg-spinner (South African in one Test v England 1964), born in Pretoria, Transvaal (d. 1987)
- May 25 Lyudmila Buldakova, Russian volleyball player (Olympic gold 1972), born in Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (d. 2006)
Jerry West
May 28 Jerry West, American Basketball Hall of Fame guard, executive (LA Lakers, 14-time NBA All Star), born in Chelyan, West Virginia
Jerry West
- May 29 Fay Vincent, American lawyer and sports executive (MLB Commissioner 1989-92), born in Waterbury, Connecticut
About May 1938
How Old? 82 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: No