Events in Sport
- May 6 70th Kentucky Derby: Conn McCreary aboard Pensive wins in 2:04.2
- May 9 Joe McCarthy returns as Yankee manager after an illness
Birthdays in Sport
- May 5 Bo Larsson, Swedish football striker, born in Malmö, Sweden
- May 6 Masanori Murakami, Japanese baseball player in major leagues, born in Ōtsuki, Yamanashi, Japan
- May 10 Abdul Kadir, cricketer (Pakistani batsman-keeper in 4 Tests 1964-65)
- May 11 John Benaud, Australian cricketer (brother of Richie, Australian bat 1972-73), born in Auburn, New South Wales
- May 13 Clive Radley, cricketer (England batsman in 8 Tests 1978)
- May 15 Miruts Yifter 'Yifter the Shifter', Ethiopian runner (Olympic golds 1980), born in Adigrat (d. 2016)
- May 17 Arif Butt, Pakistani cricketer (pace bowler for Pakistan in three Tests 1964-65), born in Lahore, Punjab, British India (d. 2007)
- May 20 Keith Fletcher, cricket captain (Essex & England)
- May 23 John Newcombe, Australian tennis player (7 Grand Slam singles, 17 Grand Slam doubles titles), born in Sydney, Australia
- May 26 Sam Posey, American auto racer (12 Hours of Sebring 1975; 24 Hours of Le Mans 1971 3rd) and TV commentator (ABC Sports), born in NYC, New York
Weddings in Sport
Wedding of Interest
May 4 Baseball player Ted Williams marries Doris Soule (divorced 1954)

Ted Williams
Wedding of Interest
May 29 Boxing champion Sugar Ray Robinson (23) weds Edna Mae Holly

Sugar Ray Robinson
Deaths in Sport
- May 26 Cyril Francois, South African cricket all-rounder (5 Tests, 252 runs, 6 wickets), dies in a motor accident at 46