Sorry, I just have to step in here to defend the reputation of one of my favourite characters. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
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Having read the Hobbit a long long time ago, it seems to me that compared to what others thought of him in LotR he wasn't all that great.
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No, Bilbo did nothing heroic ...
... apart, of course, from rescuing the Dwarves from a bunch of giant spiders, rescuing the Dwarves from Elven captivity, confronting a Dragon (and discovering the weakness which led to the said Dragon's death) and helping to avoid a war between Men and Elves on the one side and Dwarves on the other.
Of course he was little help at first. Who wouldn't be in his situation? He had never left the Shire before and was understandably naive and inexperienced. One of the central themes, if not the central theme, of the story is the way in which, while he is little more use than spare baggage at first, he develops throughout the Quest until in the second half of the book he is carrying out true acts of heroism. Of course, there is the small matter of a Ring of Invisibility to help him, but all heroes need their magic items.
It is the last of those mentioned above that, for me, is Bilbo's greatest deed. While everyone else (including, I might add, a King of the much vaunted Elves) is greedily squabbling over the spoils of Samug's hoard, he offers to give up his share of the booty, and the most precious article in the hoard, to avert the seemingly inevitable battle.
I have no doubt that, when all is said and done, Bilbo thoroughly deserved his reputation, both in the Shire and in Rivendell. [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img]