Audiences Were Shocked

Sports are supposed to be an exhibition of skill, teamwork, and fair play. But occasionally, an athlete's competitive spirit overcomes them and they do something that not only shocks fans and fellow players, but goes down in sports history. With that in mind, here are 20 of the most shocking moments in sports history.

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1. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was accused of throwing a cheap shot on Victor Ortiz in 2011. Ortiz was apologizing for a headbutt when Mayweather went in on him with his guard down. This stunned observers, who thought it was a cheap shot and unsportsmanlike.

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2. Shaq

On March 28, 1999, Shaquille O'Neal gave Chris Dudley one of the most embarrassing dunks in NBA history by jumping over him. Dudley and the entire crowd at Madison Square Garden were angry with the excessive show of force. Dudley ended up throwing the ball at Shaq, making the play one of the most memorable acts of poor sportsmanship.

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3. Juanito vs. Matthaus

Spain's Juanito shocked onlookers when he hurt Germany's Lothar Matthäus during the 1982 World Cup. The malicious act was borne of frustration and had little to do with the play. Juanito was shown a straight red, and this remains one of the tournament's most shameful moments.

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4. Pepe

Pepe, the Real Madrid defender, started an all-out melee after kicking an opponent in the back during a match. Pepe's wild kick during the melee resulted in an instant red card. The player has a long history of unsportsmanlike conduct and is widely considered one of the most ill-tempered players in the game.

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5. Tonya Harding

Tonya Harding had her rival Nancy Kerrigan attacked in 1994 in a scheme to enhance her own Olympic prospects. Kerrigan was injured and could not compete at the U.S. Figure Skating Championship while Harding was still eligible to win the national title and qualify for the Olympics. Both women made the Olympic team, but Harding was charged in time.

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6. Boston Marathon

Rosie Ruiz appeared to win the 1980 Boston Marathon, but it was soon discovered that she didn't actually run the whole way. A witness to the race alleged that she had taken a subway during the marathon. She was also ignorant of terms that an experienced runner would know.

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7. Roberto Alomar

Roberto Alomar in 1996 stunned baseball fans by spitting in umpire John Hirschbeck's face after a contentious play and call during a game against the Blue Jays. The intentional act of disrespect during the game came after Alomar argued with the umpire for a missed call. Alomar was eventually suspended for five games.

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8. Dale Hunter

One of the most notorious cheap shots in NHL history occurred when Dale Hunter blindsided Pierre Turgeon immediately after scoring in Game Six of the 1993 Patrick Division Semifinals. The hit earned Hunter a 21-game suspension to begin the next season, one of the longest in league history at the time.

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9. Slaven Bilic

Croatian midfielder Slaven Bilić at the 1996 European Football Championship was condemned by fans of many nations after faking an injury in an attempt to get Germany's Christian Ziege booked. After a slight touch from Ziege, Bilić dramatically fell to the ground and grabbed his face. Bilić's attempt was unsuccessful and widely ridiculed.

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10. Albert Haynesworth

NFL fans were stunned when Albert Haynesworth intentionally hurt Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode in 2006. The malicious tackle required Gurode to need urgent help. Haynesworth was then suspended for five games.

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11. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson is known for his ferocity inside the ring. One of his most infamous acts of unsportsmanship occurred in the 1997 heavyweight championship rematch between him and Evander Holyfield. During the match, Tyson went for Holyfield's ear not once, but twice, shocking fans and officials.

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12. Barry Hall

One of the dirtiest kicks in AFL history was from star player Barry Hall in 2008. Hall earned his reputation as one of the dirtiest players when he hurt Brent Staker. The unprovoked punch left Staker stunned and helpless. Fans and commentators were evidently shocked.

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13. Luiz Adriano

In 2012, Luiz Adriano sparked major controversy in the Champions League group stage match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Nordsjælland. After the ball was stopped dead in a Nordsjælland player's hands during a set piece, Adriano refused to give the ball back to the opposition. UEFA later banned Adriano for one match for the incident, but his image as a sportsman was permanently tarnished.

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14. Eden Hazard

Chelsea's Eden Hazard lost his temper during the 2013 Capital One Cup semifinal when a Swansea ball boy attempted to waste time by holding on to the ball. Hazard brutally turned on him to take the ball away instead of waiting for officials to intervene, leaving onlookers shocked. Hazard's reckless act saw him sent off with a straight red card.

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15. Todd Bertuzzi

Arguably one of the NHL's most infamous moments, Todd Bertuzzi punched Steve Moore on March 8, 2004. Moore refused to fight Bertuzzi, and as a result, Bertuzzi grabbed Moore by his jersey and attacked further. Bertuzzi was immediately suspended for the rest of the season.

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16. The Sox Scandal

The 1919 Black Sox Scandal is one of the most famous cheating and unsportsmanlike scandals in the history of professional sports. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were accused of conspiring to intentionally lose the World Series. Baseball greats such as Eddie Cicotte and Shoeless Joe Jackson were among the accused players.

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17. Trevor Chappell

On February 1, 1981, Trevor Chappell permanently blackened his name when he bowled an underarm delivery against New Zealand in a one-day international. Although the delivery was legal, it was considered by many to be an act of cowardice to stop the New Zealand team from scoring the six runs they needed to tie the game. The incident is regarded as one of the most unsportsmanlike incidents in the history of cricket.

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18. Zinedine Zidane

In the 2006 World Cup Final, Zinedine Zidane headbutted Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest during extra time. The headbutt was in response to something Materazzi had said. Zidane was shown a red card and France lost in the penalty shootout. Zidane said he was provoked by Materazzi's insults, but the headbutt is considered one of soccer's all-time most unsportsmanlike moments.

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19. Luis Suarez

The list of players bitten by Luis Suárez during his career is long. The first incident involving the striker took place with Otman Bakkal, and the last one with Branislav Ivanovic. He was also guilty of going for Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup.

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20. Marty McSorley

On February 21, 2000, Boston Bruins enforcer Marty McSorley blindsided Donald Brashear with a hard stick-to-head hit from behind in the final seconds of a game. The hit left Brashear injured and enraged much of the hockey world. McSorley faced legal charges and was sentenced accordingly, marking a major moment in NHL history.

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