Who Is the Real McCoy?

As you long time readers know I enjoy finding the source of common phrases and nursery rhymes,but as with today's post sometimes the answers are elusive. There are four competing theories on who or what was the original "Real McCoy" which I will now offer in no particular order.  In the late 1800s a welter weight boxer who went by the name Kid McCoy was rumored to have been challenged to a fight by a drunk who didn't believe he was Kid McCoy. The boxer punched the drunk and as he was getting back to his feet he said,"Yep,that's the real McCoy." The next story involves an inventor by the name of McCoy who made a lubricating device for locomotives and though similar devices were soon made available purchasing agents would demand "the real McCoy" The third possibility is a Florida rum runner named Billy McCoy who was known for not watering down his product,so once again customers would ask for "the real McCoy." The fourth option is also booze related,the Scottish name of McKay was attached to a brand of whisky and advertising suggested you accepted only the real McKay (providing the name was misspelled by the time the phrase came to America).