- May 1 136th Kentucky Derby: Calvin Borel wins aboard Super Saver, his third Derby success in 4 years
Performing Arts Award
May 1 Canadian singer Bryan Adams is given the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his 30 years of contributions to the arts
- May 1 Car bomb fails to go off in Times Square, New York City
Film & TV History
May 4 Julia Louis-Dreyfus receives the 2,407th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, although on the original star her name is spelled incorrectly
- May 8 Barrow AFC wins English FA Trophy at Wembley, makes them only team to win it at both Old & New Wembley stadiums
- May 8 Last piece of Yankee Stadium falls in the Bronx, New York, marking the end of the two year demolition process
- May 9 Oakland A's Dallas Braden becomes 19th pitcher to throw a perfect game (4-0 vs Tampa Bay)
- May 9 PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: South African Tim Clark fires a final round 67 for his first PGA Tour victory, 1 stroke ahead of Robert Allenby of Australia
Pro Wrestling
May 10 Flavor Flav guest hosts the wrestling show WWE Raw
Election of Interest
May 11 David Cameron becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after forming a coalition government between the Liberal Democrats and his own Conservative Party
Election of Interest
May 11 Imelda Marcos wins election to the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing Ilocos Norte province
- May 12 An Afriqiyah Airways Flight crashes and kills everyone but one person on board
Music Concert
May 13 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Debbie Harry, Lady Gaga, Shirley Bassey, Nile Rodgers and Chic
FA Cup Final
May 15 English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (88,335): Chelsea beats Portsmouth,1-0; Didier Drogba scores 59' winner; Blues' 6th title
- May 15 Jessica Watson at age 16 becomes the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world
- May 16 ICC Men's Cricket T20 World Cup, Bridgetown, Barbados: England beats Australia by 7 wickets with 3 overs to spare for their first title; Player of the Series: England batsman Kevin Pietersen (248 runs)
- May 16 ICC Women's Cricket T20 World Cup, Bridgetown, Barbados: Elise Perry with 3 for 18 off 4 overs leads Australia (106/8) to 3 run victory over New Zealand 103/6
- May 17 Archaeologists announce the discovery of the oldest tomb in Mesoamerica at 2,700 years old, at Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico, containing the remains of 50 year old man [1]
- May 18 Police officer James Crooker is asked to leave the Red and Black Café in Portland, Oregon after co-owner John Langley claimed Crooker's uniformed presence made him uncomfortable
Copernicus Reburied
May 22 Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus' remains are reburied in Frombork Cathedral, Poland after a 200 year search for his tomb
UEFA Champions League Final
May 22 UEFA Champions League Final, Madrid: Internazionale beats Bayern Munich, 2-0; Inter's 3rd title and first treble (Italian Serie A & Cup)
- May 23 63rd Cannes Film Festival: "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul wins the Palme d'Or
- May 23 NHL Western Conference Finals: Chicago Black Hawks beat San Jose Sharks, 4 games to 0
- May 24 Andrew Wakefield, doctor at the center of MMR vaccination scare, struck off the UK medical register after being found guilty of serious professional misconduct
- May 24 NHL Eastern Conference Final: Philadelphia Flyers beat Montreal Canadians, 4 games to 1
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)
May 28 "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" single released by Alicia Keys (Billboard Song of the Year, 2010)
- May 29 55th Eurovision Song Contest: Lena for Germany wins singing "Satellite" in Oslo
- May 29 In an all South African Super 14 Rugby final, the Bulls (Pretoria) retain title, 25-17 over the Stormers (Cape Town) at the Orlando Stadium, Soweto; Morné Steyn kicks 6 penalties and a conversion for the Bulls
- May 29 Philadelphia Phillies' Roy Halladay becomes 20th pitcher to throw a perfect game (1-0 vs Florida Marlins), in Miami
- May 29 Super Rugby Final, Orlando Stadium, Soweto: Bulls (Pretoria) successfully defend their title with a 25-17 win over the Stormers (Cape Town) in an all-South African final
Indy 500
May 30 Indianapolis 500: Scotsman Dario Franchitti driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing wins his 2nd Indy title ahead of Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti
Senior PGA Championship
May 30 Senior PGA Championship, Colorado GC: Tom Lehman wins first of 3 Champions Tour major titles with a par on the first hole of a playoff with Fred Couples and David Frost
- May 31 Gaza Flotilla raid: Israeli Shayetet 13 soldiers board ships trying to break blockade of Gaze, during violent confrontation aboard MV Mavi Marmara 9 activists killed and several activists and soldiers injured
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