- May 5 Harold Gilligan, English cricket batsman (4 Tests; captain 1929-30 Tour of NZ), dies at 81
Ethelda Bleibtrey (1902-1978)
May 6 American swimmer (Olympic gold 100m, 300m, 4x100m freestyle relay 1920; first US female champion), dies at 76
- May 13 Alby Roberts, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (5 Tests, 7 wickets; Canterbury, Otago), dies at 68
- May 19 George Gladstone, cricketer (one Test WI v England 1930), dies
- May 29 Carl Reynolds, American baseball outfielder who was 2nd player in MLB history to hit HRs in 3 consecutive innings 1930; Chicago White Sox, dies at 75
- May 31 József Bozsik, Hungarian footballer (Budapest Honvéd), dies at 52 due to heart failure