Events in Sport
Hall of Fame
May 1 Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige (19) debuts in the Negro Southern League for Chattanooga
- May 8 Fire breaks out in Fenway Park, home of Boston Red Sox baseball team
- May 10 51st Preakness: John Maiben aboard Display wins in 1:59.8
- May 15 52nd Kentucky Derby: Albert Johnson on Bubbling Over wins in 2:03.8
- May 21 White Sox Earl Sheely hits a record 6th consecutive double
- May 23 Chicago Cub's Hack Wilson is 1st to hit a home run off Wrigley Field scoreboard
World Record
May 24 Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi sets world 3000m record (8:25.4) in Berlin, Germany
- May 31 Indianapolis 500: First rain-shortened race in "500" history; Frank Lockhart wins after 20 lap duel with Dave Lewis; race called after 400 miles (160 laps)
Birthdays in Sport
- May 5 Doug Cowie, Scottish soccer defender (20 caps; Dundee FC 341 games), born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 2021)
- May 7 Charles Wolf, American basketball coach (Cincinnati Royals 1960-63, Detroit Pistons 1963-64), born in Covington, Kentucky (d. 2022)
- May 20 Bob Sweikert, American race car driver (d. 1956)
- May 24 Len Maddocks, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (7 Tests, 19 dismissals; Victoria, Tasmania), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2016)
Bill Sharman (1926-2013)
May 25 American Basketball HOF guard (8 × NBA All-Star; 4 x NBA C'ship; Boston Celtics) and coach (NBA C'ship 1972 LA Lakers), born in Abilene, Texas
Deaths in Sport
- May 20 Dick Pougher, cricketer (17 & 3-26 in only Test for England 1892), dies
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions