- May 3 NHL Clarence Campbell Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers beat Chicago Black Hawks, 4 games to 0
- May 7 109th Kentucky Derby: Ed Delahoussaye wins aboard Sunny's Halo for consecutive Derby victories (1982 Gato Del Sol)
- May 7 NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: New York Islanders beat Boston Bruins, 4 games to 2
- May 11 Aberdeen of Scotland win 23rd European Cup Winner's Cup against Real Madrid of Spain 2-1 in Gothenburg
Sports History
May 13 Reggie Jackson is 1st major leaguer to strike out 2,000 times
- May 17 Stanley Cup Final, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY: 4 consecutive titles for NY Islanders; sweep Edmonton Oilers in 4 games with a 4-2 Game 4 win
Boxing Title Fight
May 20 American heavyweight boxer Larry Holmes beats countryman Tim Witherspoon by split decision to retain his WBC title at the Dunes Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
Boxing Title Fight
May 20 Michael Dokes & Mike Weaver fight to a draw in 15 for heavyweight boxing title
Sports History
May 20 MLB Philadelphia Phillies Steve Carlton passes W Johnson with 2nd most strike outs
- May 21 108th Preakness: Donald Miller Jr on Deputed Testamony wins in 1:55.4
- May 22 Toronto Blue Jay Cliff Johnson hits record 18th pinch hit HR
- May 25 27th European Cup: Hamburg beats Juventus 1-0 at Athens
- May 25 Kirk Gibson (Tigers) & Jorge Orta (Blue Jays) hit inside park HRs
- May 26 29th Walker Cup: US, 13½ - 10½
- May 26 LA Lakers set NBA playoff game record of fewest free throws
- May 29 Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva wins his first Indy 500; represents record 7th Indy victory for chief mechanic George Bignotti
- May 29 Yuri Dumchev of USSR throws discus a record 71.86 m
Baseball History
May 30 AL President Lee MacPhail suspends Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for one week, for his public criticism of umpires
- May 31 37th NBA Championship: Philadelphia 76ers sweep LA Lakers in 4 games
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions