- May 2 113th Kentucky Derby: Chris McCarron aboard Alysheba wins in 2:03.4
Sports History
May 2 NHL New York Islanders Mike Bossy plays his final game, a 5-1 playoff elimination game loss to Philadelphia Flyers at the Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- May 5 Detroit Tigers are 11 games back in AL, but go on to win AL East
Sports History
May 6 Mario Andretti sets one-lap speed record at Indy at 218.204 MPH
Baseball Record
May 9 Oriole Eddie Murray is 1st to switch hit HRs in 2 consecutive games
- May 13 Ajax of the Netherlands win 27th European Cup Winner's Cup against Lokomotive Leipzig 1-0 of East Germany in Athens
- May 13 NHL Clarence Campbell Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers beat Detroit Red Wings, 4 games to 1
- May 14 NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: Philadelphia Flyers beat Montreal Canadians, 4 games to 2
- May 15 Record archery score for a pair over 24 hrs, is set
- May 16 112th Preakness: Chris McCarron aboard Alysheba wins in 1:55.8
Sports History
May 22 Canadian Rick Hansen completes his 'Man in Motion' world tour in a wheelchair at Vancouver's BC Place Stadium, raising money for spinal cord research
LPGA Championship
May 24 LPGA Championship Women's Golf, Jack Nicklaus GC: American Jane Geddes wins by 1 stroke ahead of runner-up American Betsy King
- May 27 31st European Cup: Porto beats Bayern Munich 2-1 at Vienna
Sports History
May 27 New York Yankees knuckleballer Phil Niekro is 3rd pitcher to make 700th start, joining Cy Young and Don Sutton
- May 29 Robin Ventura set a college baseball record with hits in 57 games
Tyson TKOs Thomas
May 30 Mike Tyson beats Pinklon Thomas by TKO in round 6 in Las Vegas to retain WBC / WBA heavyweight boxing titles
- May 30 Tony Tucker TKOs Buster Douglas in 10 for heavyweight boxing title
- May 31 Saul Ballesteros drives 3 golf balls off Mt McKinley, Alaska
- May 31 Stanley Cup Final, Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, AL: Edmonton Oilers beat Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1 to win title 4 games to 3: Oilers' 3rd SC
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions