Who's the toughest person in professional sports?

Who was/is the toughest person (since it may be a woman) to ever play professional sports?
Concrete Charlie?
Ray Nitschke?
Bob Probert?
The Japanese Olympian who competed on the rings with a broken leg?
Eric Lindros?
Jack Lambert?
Ben Hogan?
Brian Boitano?


If all the world's pro athletes (excluding MMA and UFC guys) were gathered together for a Battle Royal, which guy would you bet on to win?

 

Charles Oakley belongs in the conversation.

 

In their primes, I'd put money on Gordie Howe, Joey Kocur and Bob Probert.

 

You have no love for Bill Laimbeer?

 

Hell no. He was a cheap-shotting punk.

 

I think they both belong, Oakley more so maybe. Rick Mahorn could kick both their asses.

 

Joe Greene

 

It depends what you mean by tough?

Like Brett Favre, Cal Ripken never-miss-a-game tough

or Bill Laimbeer, Charles Barkley, Chris Simon (I don't want to mess with that SOB tough)

 

On the latter, in terms of hoops, Michael Graham of Georgetown seemed like the baddest of bad asses.

 

Here's a blast from the past:

Glenn Hall played 502 consecutive games in a no-mask, flimsy, crappy goalie equipment era.

And he threw up before every game and sometimes between periods.

That record is about as untouchable as DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak.

 

Once Psycho-T is drafted the conversation ends.

 

Who dat?