- May 1 102nd Kentucky Derby: Angel Cordero Jr wins aboard Bold Forbes, the second of 3 Derby successes
- May 2 Joanne Carner wins LPGA Lady Tara Golf Classic
- May 9 Sally Little wins LPGA Ladies Masters at Moss Creek Golf Tournament
- May 12 20th European Cup: Bayern Munich beats Saint-Etienne 1-0 at Glasgow
- May 13 9th & final ABA championship: NY Nets beat Denver Nuggets, 4 games to 2
- May 15 101st Preakness: John Lively aboard Elocutionist wins in 1:55
- May 16 Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens sweep Philadelphia Flyers in 4 games
- May 16 Sue Roberts wins LPGA American Defender Golf Classic
- May 22 St Louis Cardinal Reggie Smith hits 3 HR
- May 23 Amy Alcott wins '76 LPGA Golf Classic
Boxing Title Fight
May 24 Muhammad Ali TKOs Richard Dunn in 5 for heavyweight boxing title in Munich
Muhammad Ali