Why was Charles Barkley forced to carry a gun back in 90s? Gruesome incident involving NBA legend's wife explored

In a 1992 Sports Illustrated article by Rick Reilly, Charles Barkley was asked if he actually carry a firearm with him.

Here's what Barkley said:

"I've had it for eight years, and I've never done anything. Only time I ever got in trouble for it was this policewoman searching my car for drugs. I mean, people -- with me all the time. I shouldn't carry an automatic. I mean I can't explain why. It's just that I like that type of gun."

Afterwards, he was asked by the interviewer if his wife Maureen Blumhardt was harassed and even spat on. It was due to being in an interracial marriage with Barkley, which was frowned upon by some people at the time.

"Yeah. And afterward he said, 'How do you like it?' And called her a 'N lover,'" Barkley said. "See, that's why I need a gun. I would have kicked the -- out of the guy. But people don't do -- like that when I'm around. Only when I'm not."

"Like my wife and I were traveling together one day, and we had to leave each other," Barkley added. "Two little kids saw us hugging, saying goodbye, and this little kid came up to her later and said, 'I saw you hug Charles Barkley. Do you know him?' And she said, 'Yeah, he's my husband.' And the little kid says, 'He can't be your husband, he's black.'"

The former power forward added:

"And my wife explained to the kid that it doesn't matter," Barkley added. "All of a sudden my wife hears: 'I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't teach my son any bad habits.'"

It was one of the few occasions from Charles Barkley that infuriated him the most as it involved disrespecting his wife. The former NBA player also mentioned that he could pull the trigger and added, "If somebody tried to hurt somebody in my family, I could."

Both Charles Barkley and Maureen Blumhardt have been married for 33 years and the couple has gone through a lot of altercations with disrespectful fans.

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Charles Barkley talked about his experience with hecklers

In the same 1992 SI article, Charles Barkley talked about some of the experiences he had with fan hecklers.

Firstly, the former Sixers forward mentioned his disdain for fans that throw racial slurs at him and others that would involve his family as well.

"Well, I don't mind just heckles," Barkley said. "But I go crazy if I hear racial slurs. Or when they get personal on my family."

One of his experiences was when he wanted to spit on a fan but it accidentally landed on a little girl's face.

"He was just on me the whole game," Barkley added. "It was stupid because I didn't even mean to spit on anybody. On replays, I did spit downward, but you would never really know what happened. In my rage of trying to spit down, I guess it flew everywhere. That's what really hurt me the most about that. That was a good experience for me, though."

The incident happened back on March 26, 1991, against the New Jersey Nets. It resulted in the league suspending him for one game with a fine of $10,000.