Events in Sport
- May 6 87th Kentucky Derby: John Sellers aboard Carry Back wins in 2:04
- May 9 Baltimore Oriole Jim Gentile hits 2 grand slams (9 RBIs) vs Minnesota Twins
- May 12 Russian Mikhail Botvinnik wins world chess championship for 3rd time
Sports History
May 14 Stirling Moss wins the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix
- May 20 86th Preakness: Johnny Sellers aboard Carry Back wins in 1:57.6
- May 27 Fiorentina of Italy win 1st European Cup Winner's Cup against Glasgow Rangers 4-2 in Florence (2nd leg)
- May 27 Ralph Boston of US, sets then long jump record at 27' ½"
- May 27 French Championships Men's Tennis : Manuel Santana beats Nicola Pietrangeli (4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2)
- May 27 60th Women's French Championships: Ann Haydon beats Yola Ramirez (6-2, 6-1)
Sports History
May 30 50th Indianapolis 500: A. J. Foyt takes lead with 3 laps to go to win his first of 4 Indy 500 victories by a margin of 8.28 seconds from Eddie Sachs
- May 31 European Cup Final, Wankdorf Stadium, Bern: Benfica beats Barcelona 3-2; first Portuguese team to reach final and win the tournament
Birthdays in Sport
- May 1 Charlie O'Brien, American MLB catcher (pioneered hockey style catcher's mask; World Series 1995 Atlanta Braves), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- May 1 Steven Cauthen, American Hall of Fame jockey (Triple Crown 1978-Affirmed, Epsom Derby 1985, 87; Ascot Gold Cup 1984, 87), born in Covington, Kentucky
- May 2 Peter Doohan, Australian professional tennis player, born in Newcastle, NSW (d. 2017)
- May 3 Steve McClaren, English football manager, born in Fulford, York, England
- May 4 Eugene Daniel, American football NFL center (Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens), born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- May 4 Luis Herrera, Colombian cyclist, born in Fusagasugá, Colombia
- May 9 Rene Capo, Cuban half-heavyweight judoka (Olympics 1996), born in Pinal del Rio Cuba
- May 10 Blyth Tait, New Zealand equestrian (Olympic gold Individual eventing 1996, bronze 1992), born in Whangārei, New Zealand
- May 10 Randy Cunneyworth, Canadian ice hockey left wing (Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers) and coach (Atlanta Thrashers, Montreal Canadiens), born in Etobicoke, Ontario
- May 12 Thomas Dooley, American soccer midfielder (81 caps; FC Homburg, 1. FC Kaiserslautern), born in Bechhofen, Germany
Dennis Rodman
May 13 Dennis Rodman, American NBA forward (Chicago Bulls), born in Trenton, New Jersey
- May 14 Alain Vigneault, Canadian NHL ice hockey coach, since 1997 (New York Rangers, 2013-18; Philadelphia Flyers, 2019-present; and two other teams), born in Quebec City, Quebec
- May 20 Vaughn Jefferis, New Zealand equestrian rider (World C'ship gold 1994, 98; Olympic bronze 1996), born in Huntly, New Zealand
- May 23 Dave Babych, Edmonton, NHL defenseman (Vancouver Canucks)
- May 23 Kevin Romine, baseball player
- May 26 Stephen Pate, American golfer (6 PGA Tour titles, US Open 1988, US Masters 1990 3rd), born in Ventura, California
- May 27 Jill Sterkel, US swimmer (Olympic bronze 1976, 84, 88)
- May 27 John Lugbill, Wauseon Ohio, US canoeist/kayaker (Olympic-92)
Deaths in Sport
- May 2 J C White, English cricket spin bowler (15 Tests, 49 wickets; 10-76 Somerset v Worcestershire 1921), dies at 70
