Getty Image / Paras Griffin
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has for years made it clear that he enjoys watching hockey more than basketball. He’s been on the Oilers bandwagon for a few years now but recently took time away from his busy NBA travel schedule to check out some college puck in lieu of an NHL game and went to Fredonia, NY where he crashed a bar after the game.
Fredonia State is a D-3 program in Fredonia, NY which is located in far Western NY near the Pennsylvania border on Lake Erie. I’ve you’ve ever driven that stretch of I-90 then you probably drove through it without ever realizing you were there. I did a few years back when a hurricane shut down parts of I-95 and I had to go through Western NY to get to I-75 and then drive back south to Florida in the wildest roadtrip detour of my life, and I have no memory of passing through Fredonia.
Anyway…. Charles Barkley recently hit up Fredonia State to watch the 5-8-0 Blue Devils take the ice, according to Syracuse.com. He was there to witness the home team win 2-0 over SUNY Potsdam and even participated in the ceremonial puck drop to start the game. It was all part of an alumni weekend celebration that honored Fredonia State’s 1993-94 team that made the National Championship.
After the game, Chuck hit the bars and treated everyone to free drinks:
Love that @_CharlesBarkley is @NCAAIceHockey fan! @SUNYACsports @FredBlueDevsHky pic.twitter.com/dffQGj0Cna
— Jeff Fulton (@D3HockeyJeff) December 7, 2024
From another angle:
My nephew goes to snowy SUNY #Fredonia. He isn’t quite sure WHY Sir Charles was at a hockey game there last nite, but he – and everyone else – sure were happy about THIS happening at a local saloon!
Props to you, Mr. #Barkley. This is how you win over a town. pic.twitter.com/NbaYrQZQSE
— Jeff DiVeronica (@RocDevo) December 7, 2024
Charles Barkley is a very wealthy man and he’s been rich for a long time. He can easily afford to buy rounds for the entire bar whenever he wants but that doesn’t mean he has to.
Knowing that he had the opportunity to make that night one that everyone in the Fredonia bar would remember forever, he put down his card and bought everyone drinks like a true gentleman. You love to see it.