What Happened in May 1951

Historical Events

May 1 600,000 march for peace & freedom in Germany
May 1 Dutch Reformed Church introduces new church choir

Baseball Record

May 1 Future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Mickey Mantle hits first career home run in 8-3 win v White Sox in Chicago; Minnie Miñoso homers in Sox debut

May 3 Gil McDougald ties major league record with 6 RBIs in 1 inning
May 3 NY Yankee Gil McDougald is 5th to get 6 RBIs in an inning (9th)
May 3 Royal Festival Hall opens in London
May 3 The Festival of Britain opens
May 5 77th Kentucky Derby: Conn McCreary aboard Count Turf wins in 2:02.6

Out of This World

May 5 Cole Porter's musical "Out of This World" an adaptation of Titus Plautus's mythological comedy Amphitryon, starring George Gaynes, closes at New Century Theater, NYC, after 157 performances

May 6 Pitts Pirate Cliff Chambers no-hits Boston Brave, 3-0
May 7 International Olympic committee allows Russia to participate in 1952 Olympics
May 7 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction awarded to Conrad Richter, for his novel "The Town"
May 8 Dacron men's suits introduced
May 8 US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enwetak
May 9 Air raid on Chinese positions at Yalu River
May 10 Z Alexander Looby elected to Nashville City Council
May 11 American engineer Jay Forrester applies for patent for computer core memory
May 14 Ernie Kovacs Show, TV Variety debut on NBC
May 14 Sammy Fain and Yip Harburg's musical "Flahooley" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 40 performances
May 15 AT&T becomes the 1st US corporation to have a million stockholders after young car salesman Brady Denton purchases 7 shares worth $1,078

First Vaginoplasty

May 15 First vaginoplasty procedure (sex reassignment surgery) in the UK performed on Roberta Cowell by Harold Gillies

Father of Modern Plastic Surgery Harold Gillies

May 15 Polish cultural attache in Paris, Czesław Miłosz, asks the French government for political asylum
May 16 The first regularly scheduled transatlantic flights begin between Idlewild Airport (New York International Airport) and Heathrow Airport (London), operated by El Al Israel Airlines
May 18 US General Collins predicts use of atom bomb in Korea

Preakness Stakes

May 19 76th Preakness: Eddie Arcaro aboard Bold wins in 1:56.4

May 21 The opening of the Ninth Street Show, otherwise known as the 9th Street Art Exhibition - a gathering of a number of notable artists, and the stepping-out of the post war New York avant-garde, collectively know as the New York School.

Film & TV History

May 23 Peter Ustinov's "Love of Four Colonels" premieres in London

May 23 Seventeen Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet signed in Beijing, formally establishes Chinese sovereignty over Tibet
May 24 Racial segregation in Washington, D.C. restaurants ruled illegal
May 24 US performs nuclear test at Enwetak (atmospheric tests)

Baseball History

May 25 NY Giant Willie Mays 1st major league game (goes 0 for 5)

May 26 Vaughan Williams' "Pilgrim's Progress" premieres in London

Dalai Lama Surrenders

May 27 Chinese Communists force Dalai Lama to surrender his army to Beijing

May 28 After going 0-for-12, Willie Mays connects for his 1st major league home run
May 28 Bernardus Johannes Alfrink appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Utrecht and Titular Archbishop of Tyana

Radio Premiere

May 28 Radio programme "Crazy People" (later titled The Goon Show) premieres on the BBC, created by Spike Milligan

May 28 The Jerry Colonna Show debuts on ABC-TV
May 29 1st North Pole flight in single engine plane-CF Blair

Charles vs Maxim

May 30 Ezzard Charles beats Joey Maxim in 15 for heavyweight boxing title

Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion Ezzard Charles

May 30 Indianapolis 500: Lee Wallard wins in a Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser that loses its brakes, suffers damaged exhaust pipe and broken shock absorber mounting
May 31 Netherlands & South Africa sign cultural accord

Events in 1951

Famous Birthdays

May 1 Antony Worrall Thompson, English celebrity chef
May 1 Gordon Greenidge, West Indies cricket batsman (108 Tests, 7,558 runs @ 44.72; 19 x 100s), born in St. Peter, Barbados
May 2 John "Jo" Callis, British punk-rock songwriter and musician (The Rezillos; The Human League), born in Rotherham, England
May 2 John Glascock, British bass guitarist and singer (Carmen, 1972-75; Jethro Tull, 1976-79 - "Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll, Too Young To Die"), born in Islington, England (d. 1979)
May 3 Christopher Cross [Geppert], American singer-songwriter ("Arthur's Theme"; "Think Of Laura"; "Sailing"), born in San Antonio, Texas
May 3 Tatyana Tolstaya, Russian writer, born in St Petersburg, Russia
May 4 (Sigmund) "Jackie" Jackson, American pop singer and songwriter (Jackson 5 - "ABC"; "I Want You Back"), born in Gary, Indiana
May 4 Colin Bass, British bassist (Camel), born in London
May 4 Mick Mars [Robert Alan Deal], guitarist (Mötley Crüe), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (alternative date 4 April 1955)
May 5 Rex Goh, Singaporean-Australian rock guitarist (Air Supply -"The One That You Love"), born in Singapore
May 6 Davey Johnstone, Scottish guitarist, and musical director (Elton John's band, 1971–1977, 1982–present), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
May 6 Samuel Doe, President of Liberia (d. 1990)
May 6 Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov, Kazakh Greco-Roman wrestler (Olympic gold, light-flyweight 1980; World C'ship gold 1981), born in Tegistik, Kazakhstan (d. 2020)
May 7 Bernie Marsden, English rock and blues guitarist and songwriter (Whitesnake - "Fool for Your Loving"; "Here I Go Again"), born in Buckingham, England (d. 2023)
May 7 Carlos Alomar, Puerto Rican-American guitarist, composer, and arranger (David Bowie, 1974-80, 1983-87), born in Ponce, Puerto Rico
May 7 Mic Gillette, American trumpet, trombone, and flugelhorn player (Tower of Power, Cold Blood, The Sons of Champlin), born in Oakland, California (d. 2016)

May 7 Robert Hegyes, American actor (Underground Aces; Welcome Back, Kotter - "Juan Epstein"), born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey (d. 2012)
May 8 Chris Frantz, American rock drummer (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club), born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky
May 8 Deborah Harmon, American actress (Ted Knight Show; M*A*S*H; Just the 10 of Us), born in Chicago, Illinois
May 8 Mike D'Antoni, American basketball coach (NBA Coach of the Year 2005, 17; Houston Rockets; LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Phoenix Suns), born in Mullens, West Virginia
May 8 Philip Bailey, American R&B and pop singer (Earth Wind & Fire - "Shining Star"; solo - "Easy Lover"), born in Denver, Colorado
May 9 Alley Mills, actress (Norma Arnold-Wonder Years), born in Chicago, Illinois
May 9 Charley Drayton, American session and touring drummer, bass player (X-pensive Winos; DiVinyls; Paul Simon; Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul; Bob Dylan), and record producer, born in New York City

Joy Harjo (72 years old)

May 9 American poet, musician and 1st Native American US Poet Laureate (2019-22), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma

May 10 Ron Banks, American R&B singer and songwriter (Dramatics - "Whatcha See is Whatcha Get"), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2010)
May 10 Steve Gunderson, American politician (Rep-R-WI, 1981-97), born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
May 11 Mike Sleman, English rugby union winger (32 caps; British and Irish Lions 1980; Liverpool RUFC), born in Liverpool, England (d. 2020)
May 12 Gunnar Larrson, Swedish 200m/400m swimmer (Olympic gold 1972)
May 12 Gunnar Larsson, Swedish swimmer (Olympic gold 200/400m medley 1972; World C'ship gold 200m medley 1973), born in Malmö, Sweden
May 13 Guus Janssen, Dutch jazz and classical pianist, harpsichordist, and composer, born in Heiloo, Netherlands
May 13 Guy Morriss, American football coach (Kentucky, Baylor, Texas A&M–Commerce) and guard (Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots), born in Colorado City, Texas (d. 2022)
May 13 Jim Douglas, American politician, Governor of Vermont (2003-11), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
May 13 Paul Thompson, British rock drummer (Roxy Music, 1971-80 & 2001-11 - "Love Is The Drug"; Concrete Blonde, 1989-94; Lindisfarne, 2013-21), born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England
May 13 Selina Scott, English TV newscaster (West 57th), born in Scarborough, England
May 14 Jay Beckenstein, American saxophonist (Spyro Gyra - "Morning Dance"), born in Brooklyn, New York
May 14 Season Hubley [Susan], American actress (Vice Squad, Hardcore), born in New York City
May 15 (Dennis) "Fergie" Frederiksen, American rock singerr (Toto, 1984-85), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 2014)
May 15 Frank Wilczek, American Physicist (2004 Nobel Prize), born in Mineola, New York
May 16 Christian Lacroix, French fashion designer, born in Arles, France
May 16 Jonathan Richman, American rock singer-songwriter (Modern Lovers - "Road Runner"), born in Natick, Massachusetts
May 17 I R Evans, CEO (Hyder, Welsh Water)
May 17 Simon Hughes, British politician and government minister (SD)
May 18 Angela Voigt, German athlete (Olympic gold GDR long jump 1976), born in Weferlingen, Germany (d. 2013)
May 18 Denny Dillon, American comedian (SNL, Dream On), born in Cleveland, Ohio
May 18 James Stephens, American actor (Paper Chase, Devil's Island), born in Mount Kisco, New York
May 18 Jim Sundberg, American baseball player (Kansas City Royals), born in Galesburg, Illinois
May 18 Mike Baird, American session drummer (Donna Summer; Rick Springfield; Eddie Money; Richard Marx; Kenny Rogers), born in South Gate, California
May 18 Rodger Davis, Australian golfer (British Open runner-up 1997), born in Sydney, New South Wales
May 19 James Boyer, American audio engineer and record producer (Peter Cetera; Billy Joel; George Benson), born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania
May 19 Joey Ramone [Jeffrey Hyman], American punk rock singer and musician (The Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"; Blitzkrieg Bop"; solo -"What a Wonderful World"), born in Forest Hills, New York (d. 2001)
May 20 Mike Crapo, American politician (Senator-R-Idaho 1999-, Rep-R-Idaho 1993-99), born in Idaho Falls, Idaho
May 20 Thomas D Akers, American former astronaut (STS 41, 49, 61, 79), born in St. Louis, Missouri
May 20 William Cullen Bryant, actor (Hell Squad)
May 21 Al Franken, US politician (Senate-D-Minnesota 2009-18) comedian, writer, actor (SNL, 1975-80; 1985-90), born in New York City
May 21 Arthur Russell, American experimental classical-pop fusion cellist, and composer, born in Oskaloosa, Iowa (d. 1992)

Anatoly Karpov (72 years old)

May 23 Russian chess player (world champion 1975-85, 93-99), born in Zlatoust, Russia

May 23 Antonis Samaras, Greek politician
May 23 Don Warrington [Donald Williams], Trinidadian-born British actor (Rising Damp), born in Trinidad
May 23 Judy Rodman, American country singer ("Girls Ride Horses Too"), born in Riverside, California
May 24 Rob Baker, Canadian rock drummer (Red Rider, 1975-85 - "Lunatic Fringe"; "White Hot"), born in Toronto, Ontario
May 24 Ronald Parise, Italian-American astronaut (STS 35, STS 67), born in Warren, Ohio
May 25 Bob Gale, American screenwriter (Back to the Future), born in University City, Missouri
May 25 Chuck Ruff, American rock drummer (Edgar Winter Group - "Frankenstein"), born in Reno, Nevada (d. 2011)
May 26 Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, Irish politician
May 26 Muhammed Ahmad Faris, Syria, cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-3)

Sally Ride (1951-2012)

May 26 American astronaut (first American woman to go to space), born in Los Angeles, California

May 27 John Conteh, British boxer (WBC Light Heavyweight title 1974-77), born in Liverpool, England
May 27 Norma Jean Almodovar, American author (Cop to Call Girl) and sex worker activist, born in Binghampton, New York
May 29 Peter Chernin, American businessman, President of News Corporation, born in Harrison, New York
May 29 Ron Levy [Reuvin Levi], American blues Hammond organist, and composer, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 30 Fernando Lugo, Paraguayan politician
May 30 Stephen Tobolowsky, Tx, actor (Single White Female, Thelma & Louise)
May 30 Zdravko Čolić, Yugoslav-Bosnian singer, born in Sarajevo, FPR Yugoslavia
May 31 Jimmy Nalls, American session and touring rock-jazz-fusion guitarist (Sea Level), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2017)

Born in 1951

Famous Deaths

May 5 Eddie Dunn, comedian (Face to Face, Spin the Picture), dies at 54

Leo Diegel (1899-1951)

May 5 American golfer (PGA C'ship 1928-29), dies of throat and lung cancer at 52

May 6 Élie Cartan, French mathematician (b. 1869)
May 6 Henri Carton de Wiart, Belgian count and politician (Prime Minister of Belgium 1920-21), dies at 82