Robert Alan Probert (Bob) was born June 5, 1965 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and died July 5, 2010. He was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and he played for the National Hockey League‘s Detroit Red Wings (1985-1994) and Chicago Blackhawks. Bob was a successful player, and was voted to the 1987–88 Campbell Conference all-star team, but was best known for his activities as a fighter and enforcer. Robert Probert’s playing career was from the years 1985 to 2002. Prior to playing with the Detroit Red Wings, Probert was with the Brantford Alexanders of the Ontario Hockey League. The 1987–88 season was the pinnacle of Probert’s career. He cemented his reputation as an enforcer with a league-leading 398 penalty minutes, the sixth-highest single-season total in NHL history. He also tied for third on the team with 62 points, and played in his only NHL All-Star Game. In addition, he contributed the most points during the Red Wings’ playoff run, in which Yzerman missed all but the final three games with a knee injury. He actively supported young hockey players in the community, and often bought tickets for kids who couldn’t afford to go to Red Wings games. Probert’s widow, Dani, decided to honor his wishes to tell his story and continue with completion of the book “Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge”, which was published October 26, 2010, by HarperCollins Canada.
