Historical Events
Beatification
May 1 Pope John Paul II beatifies Edith Stein, a Jewish born nun
- 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 3 "Mikado" closes at Virginia Theater NYC after 46 performances
- May 3 Miami Herald reports a woman spent Friday & Saturday with Gary Hart
- May 5 Congress begins Iran-Contra hearings
- May 5 Detroit Tigers are 11 games back in AL, but go on to win AL East
- May 5 France performs nuclear test at Mururoa atoll
Event of Interest
May 6 American televangelist Jim Bakker and Rich Dortch dismissed from Assemblies of God after revelations of an alleged rape of a church secretary
- May 6 Gary Hart denies affair with model Donna Rice
Sports History
May 6 Mario Andretti sets one-lap speed record at Indy at 218.204 MPH
- May 6 Niroslav Milhailovic begins 54 hours of telling jokes
- May 6 USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
- May 7 105°F in Sacramento, CA
- May 7 Diane Chambers' (Shelley Long) final episode on TV comedy "Cheers"
- May 8 Gary Hart quits US democratic presidential race due to affair with Donna Rice
- May 8 The Loughgall ambush: The SAS kill 8 IRA members and 1 civilian, in Loughgall, Northern Ireland
- May 9 183 die aboard a Polish jetliner that crashes in Warsaw
- May 9 32nd Eurovision Song Contest: Johnny Logan for Ireland wins singing "Hold Me Now" in Brussels
Baseball Record
May 9 Oriole Eddie Murray is 1st to switch hit HRs in 2 consecutive games
- May 11 1st heart-lung transplant take place in Baltimore
Trial of Interest
May 11 Trial of former Gestapo commandant Klaus Barbie begins in France for war crimes during World War II
- 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 "Little Shop of Horrors" is released in Germany
- May 14 Colt revolver (Peacemaker) of 1873 sells for $242,000
- May 14 NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: Philadelphia Flyers beat Montreal Canadians, 4 games to 2
- May 15 1st Energiya Launch (USSR)
Film & TV History
May 15 Last episode of "The Late Show with Joan Rivers" after the host is fired by the Fox network
- May 15 Record archery score for a pair over 24 hrs, is set
- May 16 "Bobro 400", a barge carrying 3,200 tons of garbage sets sail from NYC, beginning an unsuccessful 8 week search for a dumping site
- May 16 112th Preakness: Chris McCarron aboard Alysheba wins in 1:55.8
Musical Finale
May 16 Rupert Holmes' musical "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", based on an unfinished work of Charles Dickens, closes at the Imperial Theatre, NYC, after 608 performances and 5 Tony Award wins
Music History
May 16 Weird Al Yankovic performs live at 72nd National Orange Show
- May 17 Musical revue "Stardust - The Mitchell Parish Musical", featuring songs of the Lithuanian-American lyricist, closes at Biltmore Theater, NYC, after 101 performances
- May 17 USS Stark hit by Iraqi missiles, 37 sailors die
Film & TV History
May 19 1st American Comedy Award: Johnny Carson & Betty White
- May 19 40th Cannes Film Festival: "Sous le soleil de Satan" directed by Maurice Pialat wins the Palme d'Or
- May 20 Wrestler Jerry Lawler sues WWF & Harley Race for trademark name "king"
- May 21 Xignals PC Board BBS begins in Alabama
- May 22 30 killed in a Texas tornado
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
- May 24 Golden Gate Bridge 50th anniversary: Over 800K people show up, 300K walk on bridge at same time, span temporarily flattens from weight (San Francisco, California)
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 26 Cecilia Bolocco, 22, of Chile, crowned 36th Miss Universe
- May 26 Great offensive against Tamil-rebellion in Jaffra Sri Lanka
- May 26 US Supreme Court ruled dangerous defendants could be held without bail
Event of Interest
May 26 William H. Webster replaces Robert M. Gates as 14th director of CIA
- May 27 31st European Cup: Porto beats Bayern Munich 2-1 at Vienna
- May 27 Christian evangelists Jim and Tammy Bakker appear on "Nightline" after PTL scandal
Sports History
May 27 New York Yankees knuckleballer Phil Niekro is 3rd pitcher to make 700th start, joining Cy Young and Don Sutton
- May 28 60th US National Spelling Bee: Stephanie Petit wins spelling staphylococci
- May 28 Mathias Rust, 18-year-old West German pilot, makes unauthorized landing near Red Square, Moscow in USSR
- May 28 Monitor, Civil War warship, is discovered by a deep sea robot
- May 28 Paul Pearman jumps 21 barrels on a skateboard in Augusta
- May 28 Southern League no-hit record-Bob Milacki pitches 11 1/3 no-hit inn
- May 28 Stacking of Discovery's SRBs completed
- May 29 British pop singer Freddie Mercury and Spanish opera diva Montserrat Caballé debut their song "Barcelona" at the Ibiza Fest
- May 29 Jury finds "Twilight Zone: The Movie" director John Landis innocent of involuntary manslaughter in death of actor Vic Morrow and 2 child actors during filming
Music History
May 29 Michael Jackson attempts to buy Elephant Man's remains
- 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 North American Philips Company unveils compact disc video
- 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
Famous Birthdays
- May 1 Leonardo Bonucci, Italian soccer centre-back (95 caps; Juventus), born in Viterbo, Italy
- May 1 Matt Di Angelo, English Actor (Eastenders), born in London, England
- May 1 Ryan Matthews, American NFL running back (Pro Bowl 2011; SD Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles), born in Riverside, California
- May 1 Shahar Pe'er, Israeli tennis player (5 WTA singles titles), born in Jerusalem, Israel
- May 2 Nana Kitade, Japanese singer and songwriter, born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- May 3 Michael Kiwanuka, British singer-songwriter ("Love & Hate"), born in Muswell Hill, London, England
- May 4 Anjeza Shahini, Albanian singer ("The Image of You"), born in Tirana, Albania
- May 4 Cesc Fàbregas, Spanish soccer midfielder (110 caps; Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Monaco FC), born in Arenys de Mar, Spain
- May 4 Jorge Lorenzo, Spanish motorcycle racer (MotoGP World Champion 2010, 12, 15; 250cc World Champion 2006-07), born in Palma, Majorca, Spain
- May 5 Marija Šestić, Bosnian singer (Rijeka bez imena), born in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
- May 6 Adrienne Warren, American Tony Award-winning actress and singer (Tina), born in Chesapeake, Virginia
- May 6 Meek Mill [Rihmeek Williams], American rapper, singer, and songwriter ("Amen";" All Eyes On You"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- May 6 Moon Geun-young, South Korean actress
- May 7 Chiara Ferragni, Italian fashion blogger (The Blonde Salad), born in Cremona, Italy
- May 7 Katie Danza, daughter of Tony & Tracy Danza
- May 7 Michael Maidens, English footballer (d. 2007)
- May 8 Aneurin Barnard, Welsh actor (The White Queen), born in Bridgend, Wales
- May 8 Felix Jones, American football player (Dallas Cowboys), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- May 9 Elaheh Mohammadi, Iranian journalist (arrested for reporting on Mahsa Amini's death)
- May 10 Anej Lovrečič, Slovenian football (soccer) player
- May 11 Justin King, American football player
- May 11 Louis Murphy, American college football player
- May 11 Monica Roşu, Romanian gymnast (2x Olympic Gold 2004), born in Bacău, Romania
- May 13 Candice King, American actress (The Vampire Diaries), born in Houston, Texas
- May 13 Hunter Parrish [Tharp], American screen and stage actor (Weeds; Spring Awakening), born in Richmond, Virginia
- May 14 Franck Songo'o, Cameroonian footballer, born in Yaoundé, Cameron
- May 14 Francois Steyn, South African rugby union footballer
Andy Murray (36 years old)
May 15 British tennis player (Olympic gold 2012, 16; Wimbledon 2013, 16), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- May 15 Ersan İlyasova, Turkish basketball player
- May 15 Jennylyn Mercado, Filipina actress and singer, born in Parañaque, Philippines
- May 17 Edvald Boasson Hagen, Norwegian cyclist (Norwegian National Road Race Champions 2012), born in Rudsbygd, Norway
- May 18 Luisana Lopilato, Argentine actress and model and singer, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- May 19 David Edgar, Canadian football (soccer) player
- May 19 Mariano Torres, Argentine footballer
- May 21 Ashlie Brillault, American actress (Lizzie Guire), born in San Francisco, California
Novak Đoković (36 years old)
May 22 Serbian tennis player (record equalling 24 x Grand Slam singles titles; 7 x ATP Finals), born in Belgrade, Serbia
- May 23 Bray Wyatt, American pro wrestler (WWE Championship 2017, Smackdown & Raw Tag Team C'ships), born in Brooksville, Florida (d. 2023)
- May 24 Dominika Kasprzycka, Polish pop singer, born in Skarżysko-Kamienna, Poland
- May 24 Guillaume Latendresse, French Canadian hockey player, born in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, Canada
- May 25 Timothy Derijck, Belgian footballer, born in Liedekerke, Belgium
- May 25 Yves De Winter, Belgian football goalkeeper, born in Lier, Belgium
- May 29 Alessandra Toreson, American actress, born in Palo Alto, California
- May 29 Issac Luke, New Zealand Rugby League hooker (NZ 37 caps), born in Hawera, NZ
Famous Weddings
Yun Fat Chow
May 6 Hong Kong actor Yun Fat Chow (31) weds second wife, Singaporean Jasmine Tan (26)
Tom Cruise
May 9 Actor Tom Cruise (27) weds actress Mimi Rogers (33)
- May 16 American singer David Crosby (45) weds Jan Dance (35) at Hollywood Church of Religious Science in Los Angeles, California
Famous Deaths
- May 1 Bobo Holloman, American baseball pitcher (no-hitter on MLB debut 1953; St. Louis Browns), dies of a heart attack at 64
- May 3 Dalida [Yolande Christina Gigliotti], French-Italian actress (The Sixth Day), singer (Bambino), and Miss Egypt 1954, commits suicide at 54
- May 3 Dicky Fuller, cricketer (one Test for WI 1935, one run, 0-12), dies
- May 4 Cathryn Damon, American actress (Mary-Soap, She's Having a Baby), dies of cancer at 56
- May 4 Dick Hillenius, Dutch biologist and writer, dies at 59
- May 4 Paul Butterfield, American blues singer and harmonica player (Paul Butterfield Blues Band; Better Days), dies of drug abuse at 44
William J. Casey (1913-1987)
May 6 American CIA Director during the Iran-contra scandal (1981-87), dies of aspiration pneumonia at 73
- May 7 Colin Blakely, Northern-Irish character actor (Shattered, Equus, King Lear), dies of leukemia at 56
- May 7 Stewart McKinney, American politician (Rep-R-CT, 1971-87), dies of AIDS at 56
- May 8 Doris Stokes, British psychic medium (b. 1920)
- May 8 Pam Ewing (Victoria Principal) character on Dallas, is killed off
- May 9 Obafemi Awolowo, Nigerian statesman & nationalist, dies at 78
- May 11 James Jesus Angleton, American intelligence officer & head of counterintelligence for the CIA (1954-75), dies at 69
- May 12 Victor Feldman, British jazz pianist and drummer, dies of a heart attack at 53
- May 13 Phil Moore, American jazz pianist, arranger, and bandleader, dies at 70
- May 13 Ron Saggers, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (effective NSW & Aussie late 40's), dies at 69
Rita Hayworth (1918-1987)
May 14 American actress (Gilda; Cover Girl; The Lady from Shanghai), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 68
- May 15 John Baur, American museum director and author (American Paintings in 19th Century), dies at 78
- May 15 Wynne Gibson, American actress (Night After Night, Aggie Appleby), dies at 88
- May 17 Gunnar Myrdal, Swedish economist and economist (Nobel 1974), dies at 88
- May 18 Wilbur J. Cohen, American pioneer of social security, worked on the New Deal, dies at 73
- May 19 James Tiptree Jr. [Alice Sheldon], American sci-fi author (Byte Beautiful), dies at 71
- May 21 Alejandro Rey, Argentine-American actor and director (Carlos-Flying Nun), dies lung cancer at 57
- May 21 Archie Carr, American ecologist and zoologist (advocated for conservation of sea turtles), dies at 77
- May 22 Mario Zafred, Italian composer, and opera director dies at 65
- May 23 Karel Albert, Flemish composer (Marieken van Nymeghen), dies at 86
- May 24 Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold, British actress (Gigi; The Music Man), dies at 89
- May 26 Emiliana de Zubeldía, Spanish-Mexican concert pianist, composer - chiefly for guitar (Landscape Basko), and educator (Academy of Music at the University of Sonora, 1947-87), dies at 98
- May 27 John H. Northrop, American biochemist (crystallized enzymes (Nobel 1946)), dies at 95
- May 28 Charles Ludlam, American playwright and actor (Big Easy), dies at 44
- May 29 Alain Vincx, Belgian stuntman, dies in an accident at 40
- May 29 Charan Singh, Indian politician, 5th Prime Minister of India (1979-80), dies at 84
- May 29 Phyllis Tate, English composer, dies at 76
- May 30 Frank Carlson, American politician (Gov/Rep/Sen-R-Ks), dies at 94
- May 30 Melvin "Turk" Murphy, American Dixieland jazz trombonist, dies at 71
- May 31 Dorothy Patrick, Canadian-American actress (Torch Song, New Orleans, High Wall), dies at 65
- May 31 Roy Winsor, American producer (Search for Tomorrow, Love of Life), dies at 75
