>>http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/03/hawking.god.universe.criticisms/index.html?hpt=C1
>
>I don't really have a dog in the fight here, but I wonder (probably shouldn't aloud) how much influence/prominence Stephen Hawking would have if he weren't crippled.

You might read his Wikipedia page. While he might not be a household name without ALS, he'd still be known by anyone who cares about science, say the same people who know the name "Richard Feynman."

Tamar