Historical Events
- May 1 Netherlands begins unity with Belgium
Baseball Record
May 2 Honus Wagner steals his way around bases in 1st inning against Cubs
- May 3 35th Kentucky Derby: Vincent Powers on Wintergreen wins in 2:08.2
- May 6 Indian nationalist Sri Aurobindo acquitted in the Alipore Bomb Case in Calcutta, India
- May 7 Construction begins on first 100 houses in Ahuzat Bayit (Tel Aviv)
- May 8 American Albert Raines runs world record marathon (2:46:04.6) in NYC
- May 8 British runner Henry Barrett runs world record marathon (2:42:31) in the Polytechnic Marathon in London
- May 10 Winchester's Fred Toney no-hits Lexington for 17 inning
- May 12 34th Preakness: Willie Doyle aboard Effendi wins in 1:39.8
- May 13 Christian National Labor Workers (CNV) party begins in Netherlands
- May 13 First Giro d'Italia takes place in Milan - Italian cyclist Luigi Ganna is the winner
- May 17 White firemen on Georgia lroad strike to protest against hiring blacks
Johnson vs O'Brien
May 19 In his first title defense Jack Johnson fights 'Philadelphia' Jack O'Brien to a no decision in 6 rounds in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to retain his world heavyweight crown
National Negro Conference
May 31 National Conference on the Negro holds its first meeting in United Charities Building, New York (earlier form of the NAACP)
1909 History
Famous Birthdays
- May 1 Ethel Jane Cain, British telephonist and original UK Speaking Clock voice, born in England (d. 1996)
- May 1 George Melachrino, English composer, born in London (d. 1965)
- May 1 Yiannis Ritsos, Greek poet and political activist, born in Monemvasia (d. 1990)
- May 4 Howard Da Silva [Silverblatt], American actor (1776, The Lost Weekend, The Blue Dahlia), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1986)
- May 4 Jeroom Verten [Jozef Frans Vermetten], Flemish playwright, born in Berchem, Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1958)
- May 5 Miklós Radnóti, Hungarian poet (Clouded Sky), born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (d. 1944)
- May 6 Loyd Sigmon, American radio broadcaster, sound engineer, and inventor ("Sig Alert" for traffic and emergency notices), born in Stigler, Oklahoma (d. 2004)
Edwin Land (1909-1991)
May 7 American inventor of instant photography and co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Maybelle Carter (1909-1978)
May 10 American country singer (Johnny Cash Show), born in Nickelsville, Virginia
- May 11 Herbert Murrill, British organist, composer (The Song of the Birds; Carillon), and educator (Royal Academy of Music, 1933-52), born in London, England (d. 1952)
- May 11 René Bousquet, French Vichy-police chief (deported Jews), born in Montauban, Tarn-et-Garonne (d. 1993)
- May 12 Frank DeCaires, West Indian cricket batsman (3 Tests, 2 x 50; British Guiana), born in British Guiana (d. 1959)
- May 15 James Mason, British actor (Lolita, North by Northwest, Bloodline, Boys From Brazil), born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire (d. 1984)
- May 15 Rodolfo Cornejo, Filipino classical pianist, composer, and conductor, born in Manila, Philippines (d. 1991)
- May 16 Margaret Sullavan, American actress (Three Comrades, The Shop Around the Corner), born in Norfolk, Virginia (d. 1960)
- May 17 Edward Playfair, British senior civil servant, born in London (d. 1999)
- May 17 Karl Schäfer, Austrian figure skater (Olympic gold 1932, 36), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1976)
- May 17 Magda Schneider, German actress (Eva, Going Gay, Be Mine Tonight), born in Bavaria, German (d. 1996)
Fred Perry (1909-1995)
May 18 English tennis player (first to win "Career Grand Slam"; 8 x Grand Slam singles, 6 x Grand Slam doubles titles; Davis Cup 1933, 34, 35, 36) and broadcaster (BBC, ITV), born in Stockport, England
- May 19 Schlomo Joffe, Polish-Israeli folk and classical musician and composer, born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1995)
- May 19 Sir Nicholas Winton, British humanitarian ('British Schindler' - saved 669 children from Nazis), born in London (d. 2015) [1] [2]
- May 21 François-Albert Angers, Quebec economist (d. 2003)
- May 21 Guy de Rothschild, French banker (Rothschild Frères), born in Paris, France (d. 2007)
- May 24 Guillermo Díaz-Plaja, Spanish literary and poet (Lorca), born in Manresa, Barcelona (d. 1984)
- May 24 Louis Fornberg, writer (d. 1957)
- May 24 Wilbur Mills, American congressmen (Democrat-AZ: 1939-77), famous for his involvement in a sex scandal with Fanne Foxe, born in Kensett, Arkansas (d. 1992)
- May 25 Alfred Kubel, German politician, born in Braunschweig, Germany (d. 1999)
- May 25 Marie Menken, American experimental filmmaker and socialite, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1970)
- May 26 Matt Busby, Scottish soccer forward (Manchester City, Liverpool) and manager (Manchester United 1945-69, 70–71; Scotland 1958), born in Orbiston, Bellshill, Scotland (d. 1994)
- May 26 Richard Maibaum, American screenwriter (Goldfinger), born in New York City (d. 1991)
- May 27 Isador Goodman, South African-Australian pianist and composer (New Guinea Fantasy), born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 1982)
- May 28 Red Horner, Canadian Hockey HOF defenceman (Stanley Cup 1932 Toronto Maple Leafs), born in Lynden, Ontario (d. 2005)
- May 29 Neil R. Jones, American sci-fi author (Space War, Twin Worlds), born in Fulton, New York (d. 1988)
Benny Goodman (1909-1986)
May 30 American clarinetist and bandleader (King of Swing), born in Chicago, Illinois
George Headley (1909-1983)
May 30 West Indies cricket batsman (22 Tests; 2,190 runs @ 60.83; 10 x 100; Jamaica), born in Colón, Panama
- May 31 Sammy Spear, American big band trumpet player and orchestra leader (The Jackie Gleason Show), born in Brooklyn, NYC (d. 1975)
- May 31 Thor Thorvaldsen, Norwegian yachtsman (Olympic gold dragon class 1948, 52), born in Bamble, Norway (d. 1987)
Famous Deaths
- May 5 Pauline Staegeman, German feminist, dies
- May 6 (Francesca) "Fanny" Cerrito, Italian ballerina and choreographer (Rosida), dies at 91
- May 8 Friedrich von Holstein, German civil servant (head of the political department of the German Foreign Office), dies at 72
- May 10 Johannes de Koo, Dutch journalist and playwright, dies at 67
- May 12 Bertha Townsend, American tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1888-89), dies at 40
- May 18 George Meredith, English poet and writer (Diana of Crossways), dies at 81
- May 18 Isaac Albéniz, Spanish pianist and composer (Suite española; Tango in D), dies from nephritis at 48
- May 20 Ernest Hogan, blackface comedian and musician (b. 1859)