Events in Sport
- May 4 61st Kentucky Derby: Willie Saunders aboard Omaha wins in 2:05
Event of Interest
May 5 Jesse Owens of US sets long jump record at 26' 8½"
Jesse Owens
- May 8 Cincinnati Red Ernie Lombardi doubles in 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th beat Phils 15-4
- May 11 60th Preakness: Willie Saunders aboard Omaha wins in 1:58.4
- May 14 Northamptonshire County Cricket Club gains (over Somerset at Taunton by 48 runs) what proved to be their last victory for 99 matches, a record in the County Championship. Their next Championship win was not until May 29, 1939.
- May 15 Pirates beat Phillies 20-5
- May 19 NFL adopts an annual college draft to begin in 1936
- May 24 1st major league night baseball game, in Cincinnati (Reds 2, Phil 1)
Baseball Record
- May 25 Track and field athlete Jesse Owens equals or breaks 4 world records in 45 minutes at a Big Ten meet at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Remembered as "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport".
- May 30 Babe Ruth's final game, goes hitless for Braves against Phillies
- May 30 Indianapolis 500: Kelly Petillo wins in 4:42:22.771 (170.977 km/h)
Birthdays in Sport
- May 8 Jack Charlton, soccer manager (Rep of Ireland)
- May 12 Johnny Bucyk, Canadian ice hockey player
- May 15 Ted Dexter, cricketer (in Milan Superb England batsman of 60's)
- May 22 Ron Piché, Quebec baseball player
- May 25 Cookie Gilchrist, American football player
- May 31 Bruce Bolton, cricketer (two Tests NZ v England 1959)
Deaths in Sport
- May 1 Henri Pélissier, French cyclist (b. 1889)