The 76ers were playing the Golden State Warriors sometime in the '80s (sorry, can't remember which year). Chuck was finishing a fast break with a monster two-hand jam, but for some reason the Warriors' Sleepy Floyd didn't get out of the way. After throwing down a huge dunk, Chuck hung on the rim to avoid splattering Sleepy. In doing so, Chuck moved the ENTIRE basket support out of position. The game had to be stopped for 10 minutes while four maintenance guys pushed and pulled the support back into its proper position.

I've seen a lot of hard dunks -- live and on ESPN -- with backboards breaking and what not, but that dunk by Sir Charles was the craziest thing I've ever seen.

Eugene Park
Oakland, Calif.

Asked to comment about the Boston Garden when he was with the Sixers, Barkley said, "Nice gym you've got here."

Dave Carabello
Fairfield, Conn.

One of the memories I have of Charles Barkley was the season when the Houston Rockets won their first championship. I'm a die-hard Rockets fan. But if Barkley (then a Sun) was not hurt, I don't know if we would have won that series. He was killing us, even with his injury! I think that shows the kind of competitor that he really was, and I'll always remember him that way.

Bert Bilton
Houston

I'll always remember Charles as the hardest working player in the game. Some criticized his defense, some questioned his heart, but no one could question his work ethic or talent. Every game he came to play and left it all on the floor. He inspired me to work hard at my game and I became a better rebounder and player. I coach kids to box out and get the rebounds based on the way Charles attacked the boards. In my opinion he has always been under appreciated as a player, and I for one will miss him dearly. The NBA will most certainly miss his fire.

Leon Horton
Houston

Regardless of the fact that he has never won an NBA championship, Charles Barkley is a champion in my mind. He was labeled as being too short and too fat, but that did not deter his desire to be one of the best. From my perspective, it is totally unfair to judge a player based on the number of titles he has won because that is a team oriented accomplishment. Barkley never played with a great player in his prime, but he took his teams to the limit of their potential. Barkley was a great player, and the game of basketball will never be the same without him.

Drexel Perry Jr.
Nashville, Tenn.

Charles Barkley was my favorite player growing up, not just because he played with 76ers, but because of the way he played the game -- with an unbelievable passion and will to win. As a basketball player, he was maybe even more inspirational as being a 6-4 guy playing against guys much taller than him. He had to use subtle tricks that allowed him to be one of the top players of our generation. His upfake-fadeaway jumper and the patented spin to the baseline are moves that I have used ever since seeing Charles use them. We will all miss him and his spirit and candor. The curse of that trade in 1992 finally seems to be lifting over Philadelphia; it's a shame that he didn't get to finish his career with the team that originally drafted him.

Corey Wong
Orinda, Calif.

I attended my first Sixers game as a young boy when Charles was in Philadelphia. I saw the Sixers play the Detroit Pistons in a game that showcased two of the greatest rebounders of all time, Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman. Not only were these two of the greatest rebounders of all time, but, as we all found out in time, two of the most colorful and exciting players ever to play in the NBA -- both on and off the court. My memory of this game is vivid because I had never seen a man have the ability to take over a game with his rebounding the way Charles did that night. With the exception of Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson, I still haven't seen anyone dominate a game like that and turn it on when it was most needed. Philadelphia will never forget Sir Charles.

Sean Sharpe
Philadelphia

I'm glad he's finally done. I'm tired of his antics both on and off the court. He never won when it counted, never made the players around him better and proved himself to be just as big a distraction as everyone accused Dennis Rodman of being. That's all I have.

Corey Ewing
Colorado

I had the opportunity to shoot pool with Charles in Phoenix and he struck me as a man whose arrogance had distorted his sense of reality and common decency. The man had no qualms about doing whatever he wanted -- legal or illegal -- because he felt like he was above it all. I think he was unable to win a championship despite his enormous talent because he doesn't have the heart of a champion. Michael Jordan has a heart the size of Secretariat's. Charles Barkley has the heart of the Grinch who stole Christmas.

Michael Nolte
Little Rock, Ark.

Once at a Houston Aeros game, which is our IHL hockey team, Sir Charles sat right in front of my girlfriend and I. Talk about a surprise. The funny thing is, he was cool as could be. He talked with us and was happy to sign our ticket stubs. What a guy! Down here in Houston, we will miss Charles Barkley.

Shane McAuliffe
Houston

I've been a basketball fan and Rocket fan for many years. I was not a fan of Barkley, even when he was traded to Houston. However, after his first season with the Rockets, I developed a tremendous level of respect for him. I have never seen anyone play harder for his team and his city. He never cared about the money. He never cared if people liked him. He just wanted to win. He didn't let anyone push him around. I was at the game where Charles threw down Shaquille O'Neal because Shaq pushed him. He always fought back. He never asked for anything from anybody, except play hard 100 percent of the time. There will never be another player like Charles. It is a sad day for basketball.

Kenny Walsh
Houston

As a diehard Suns fan, I was devastated when I heard of Charles' injury on the news last night. Charles Barkley brought a presence to the Suns and city of Phoenix that no other player has been able to match. The excitement and vibrance that he brought to each and every game made them even more enjoyable to watch. I couldn't wait to see what he would do next.

From his last-second shot to win the game in Portland in '93, to his shot over David Robinson in send the Suns to the Western Conference Finals, to his 50-plus point performance in Golden State, Sir Charles played each game with all his heart and soul. His desire to win motivated his teammates and made the game exciting.

Tim Ryan
Phoenix