20 Most Infamous Moments in Sports

People often remember such things as the 20 most infamous moments in sports for several reasons. They’re either funny, tragic, or both.

Andres Escobar’s unfortunate passing

You might think that fans are just kidding when they yell out harmful epithets after serious sports blunders, and most times, you’d be right. But the belief that Colombian footballer Andres Escobar was shot after accidentally deflecting a ball into his own goal is rather strong and tragic.

Rae Carruth arrested after the murder of his pregnant girlfriend

So technically, it didn’t happen in the field, but this is still the type of thing that can ruin a career and a life at the same time. No, I’m not talking solely about Carruth since his actions cost the life of his girlfriend and left her unborn child with permanent brain damage.

Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson

This was a serious mismatch in many people’s eyes since Buster Douglas was a 42-to-1 underdog. Yet, he still took on Iron Mike and somehow knocked him out.

A fan stabbed Monica Seles during a match

As one of the youngest and most talented tennis players, it was easy to think that Seles was bound to have detractors. However, this stabbing in 1993 makes it clear that some fans take their sports way too seriously.

Steve McNair’s murder by his mistress

This was a bad ending to the life of a very talented player. While McNair had his share of trouble during his career, such an end was brutal for many people to understand when his mistress shot him in 2009.

Hank Gathers unexpected collapse and demise

This was a tragedy since Gathers was immensely talented and hadn’t yet finished college. Unfortunately, due to a heart condition that had sidelined him for a bit, he lowered his medication dosage and, due to continued physical exertion, collapsed on the court at one point and stopped breathing.

The uncertain headbutt from Zinedine Zidane

It wasn’t just an ill-advised action that Zidane took; it was uncertain what sparked the sudden attack. If that wasn’t bad enough, this happened during the World Cup between Italy and France, and it was center stage for a while after.

Pete Rose is banned from baseball

From being one of the best players in the league to being one of the most infamous, this story has been told repeatedly. Rose didn’t exactly fade away after being accused of betting on his team, but his reputation was never the same.

Baylor basketball murder

It’s expected that players on the same team will sometimes have beef with each other. But this incident at Baylor makes it clear that things can and do go too far now and then.

Dale Earnhardt’s fateful crash

It was widely known that Dale Earnhardt had a reputation for being a cocky winner, but the fact was that he could back it up. When he died in a car crash, it was almost ironic, but to his fans, it was unbearably tragic.

Michael Jordan’s first retirement

No one could believe it was happening since Michael Jordan was one of the biggest names in the world of sports. But trying to move forward and find another great star was only natural until Jordan decided to return.

Tonya Harding’s involvement in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan

Despite denying her involvement, Tonya Harding was thrust into the controversy that arose without hesitation when her teammate Nancy Kerrigan was attacked. After the initial incident, things spiraled out of control quickly.

Manti Te’o girlfriend hoax

It’s tough to know how to feel for football player Manti Te’o since he was led to believe that his ‘girlfriend’ had died. But when everything was revealed, it turned out that he’d been catfished and was one of the last people to realize it. Needless to say, people were ruthless when they found out.

Aaron Hernandez’s incarceration for murder

When Aaron was arrested, this case caused a great deal of controversy. But the New England Patriots dropped him quickly, which is kind of amazing since some teams will back their athletes up until their actions are determined to be entirely under their control.

Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault accusation

This case was a mess since it was settled, but it never actually settled, if you get my meaning. It’s not respectful to speak ill of the deceased, but this act didn’t tarnish Bryant’s name.

Malice at the palace

Many NBA fans still remember this infamous game between the Pacers and the Pistons. It’s not just the fight between the two teams but it spilled into the stands after an overzealous fan tossed a drink at one of the players.

Mike Tyson/Evander Holyfield ear-biting

This is too infamous to forget since it was meant to be a great fight. Instead, the bite seen worldwide has yet to fully wear itself out of the public consciousness since it was a brutal act that still gets made fun of.

The white bronco chase

It’s amazing how much coverage some of these incidents were given. When O.J. Simpson was accused of murder, the chase that ensued was covered on multiple stations worldwide. It was even parodied in several different movies.

Penn State scandal

You don’t often expect older men like assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky to commit such acts as SA against children. But the fact that this happened, and he was found out, was a big deal, and rightly so.

Magic Johnson made it known that he had HIV

Back when this was announced, HIV was still a social stigma that carried a lot of weight. Today, it’s not quite as bad, but at the time, many people were divided about how to feel about Johnson.