Bob Probert’s Funeral: Farewell to a Legend

Update: 3/25/24: – Originally published 7/10/10
While it’s been 14 years since he left the box for the last time, we though of Bob Probert today, and decided to refresh this old post from the earliest days of our blog. Godspeed, Sir.

Bobby Has Left The Rink

Yesterday, in Windsor, Ontario, arguably the greatest hockey enforcer of all time was laid to rest.

It is hard to put into words what Bob Probert’s death means. I didn’t know the man personally, but when someone who is arguably the best at what he did, and that something he did is a passion of your own, it means something.

Think Elvis and Sinatra in music. Dale Earnhardt in racing. Ted Williams in baseball. To me, Bob Probert’s death is that big, and I don’t think I am alone.

Sometimes people will ask me about Goonblog, and just what the heck it is we do here. To the people that share my passion for hockey, and particularly enforcers, it’s a great opportunity to chat about favorites, both old and new. In those discussions, it is only a matter of time before Bob Probert’s name comes up. As in, I have to say, my all time favorite is Probert. Or, You have to have some stuff on Bob Probert.

To the people that don’t know what a goon is, I say, We write about people like Bob Probert. The point being, he’s the household name for enforcing, and for my money, there has never been a better enforcer than Bob Probert.

Godspeed, Bob.

Look at the man’s fight card over his career, and it’s a who’s who of enforcers. Go on YouTube right now, and put in Bob Probert. Last time I did that, I didn’t realize I had been watching fights for over three hours until I went to stand and pee, and my legs were both asleep. The guy fought, and more often than not, beat, every tough guy in the league for almost 20 years. It’s incredible looking at his fight card. He fought all comers, night in, and night out.

Last Hurrah: Andre Nazarov vs Bob Probert

One of his last bouts. I can remember like it was yesterday in the 2001-2002 season – when Andre The Russian Bear Nazarov bloodied Probert. For a bit. And then Bob ripped his helmet off.

While Nazarov was the worst enforcer ever, and as we all know, you win some/lose some in the fight game. He bloodied Probert early on, and then held on for dear life. The hanging on for dear life was pretty much par for the course for Nazzy, but because he first bloodied Bob Probert before he tried not to get himself killed, the media went crazy around here. Real fans knew he got lucky, for Probert, it’s just another day at the office.

Probert’s Legacy

More than his grit and dependability as an enforcer though, was the fact Probert could actually play the game a little bit too.

163 goals, 221 assists, 3,300 PIM in 935 NHL games is something to be very proud of.

What Bob Probert can be even more proud of, is his legacy as a great teammate, and a father to four kids. Sure – he had his legal problems over the years, but he seemed to have his stuff together for a long time, and I’m not one to cast stones in the booze department.

One thing’s for certain, Heaven’s hockey club just got a whole lot tougher. RIP, Probie.