On March 26, 1991, Charles Barkley, who at that time, was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, was suspended for one game, without pay, and fined $10,000 by the NBA for spitting at a fan and using abusive language during a game against the New Jersey Nets.
Barkley and a racist heckler went at it throughout the whole game, but when Barkley (rightfully) tried to spit at the heckler, his spit unfortunately hit a different target, an 8-year old girl. After the game, Barkley told ‘The Philadelphia Daily News’:
“You do stupid things, and stuff like that happens, I just have to live with a stupid mistake. He was walking toward me, and I spit at him. I was tired, and I didn`t have enough foam in my mouth. It went everywhere. I made a mistake.”