Events in Sport
- May 4 72nd Kentucky Derby: Warren Mehrtens aboard Assault wins in 2:06.6
- May 8 Red Sox Johnny Pesky scores 6 runs in 1 game
- May 10 Red Sox win 15th straight beat Yanks 5-4, DiMaggio hits Grand Slam
- May 11 1st night game at Boston Braves Field (Giants 5, Braves 1)
- May 11 71st Preakness: Warren Mehrtens aboard Assault wins in 2:01.4
- May 20 Cubs Claude Passeau makes his 1st error since September 21, 1941, ending pitcher's fielding record of 273 consecutive errorless chances
- May 26 2-for-42 & hitting .048 for 1946, Mel Ott stops playing baseball
- May 30 Braves Bernard Malamud HR shatters Bulova clock in Ebbets Field
- May 30 Indianapolis 500: George Robson wins in 4:21:16.711 (184.785 km/h)
Birthdays in Sport
- May 3 Greg Gumbel, American sportscaster (CBS TV, WFAN), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- May 3 Norm Chow, American football coach, born in Honolulu, Hawaii
- May 4 Renee Powell, American LPGA golfer, born in East Canton, Ohio
- May 4 John Watson, Northern Irish racecar driver, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
- May 12 Leonard Baichan, cricketer (WI opener, 103 v Pakistan on debut 1975)
- May 17 Sinaida Turchina, USSR, team handball (Olympic gold 1976)
Reggie Jackson
May 18 Reggie Jackson, American baseball right fielder (NY Yankees, Athletics) nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason, born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania
Reggie Jackson
- May 19 Mary Bryan, LPGA golfer
- May 20 Bakhaavaa Buidaa, Mongolia, wrestler (Olympic silver 1972) disqualified
- May 20 Craig Patrick, NHL coach
- May 20 Bobby Murcer, American baseball outfielder (NY Yankees, SF Giants and Chicago Cubs), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (d. 2008)
- May 21 David Hill, Australian TV-reporter/owner (Fox Sports)
- May 22 George Best, Northern Irish footballer (Manchester United, Northern Ireland), born in Belfast
- May 22 Howard Kendall, English footballer and football manager (Everton), born in Ryton, County Durham (d. 2015)
- May 23 Tom Dorris, horse trainer
- May 24 Irina Kirszenstein Szewinska, Lenningrad, long jumper (Olympic bronze 1972)
- May 25 Irnema Szewinski Kirszenstein, Polish 200m runner (1968 Olym Gold)
- May 28 Skip Jutze, American baseball player
- May 31 Steve Bucknor, cricketer (West Indian Test umpire, FIFA referee)