I'd say definitely the most "publically" recognized. Certainly having overcome cancer to have the career he has had is extraordinary.

As big a fan as I am, I'd still be hard pressed to deem him "most important of all time".

Jesse Owens the African-American sprinter/long jumper that destroyed Hitlers "ideal" at the 1936 Olympics.

Babe Didricksen Zaharias the female athlete that broke almost every record in every sport she touched.

These are the 1st two that come to mind for "most important". Their fight was not only in competition, but in society and the world at large... a society that considerd them "less than" by virtue of their race and gender.

my 2 cents...

spazz