On Fri, 2005-08-12 at 18:19 +0000, d_rock19128 wrote:

> This punch was so effective for Kid
> McCoy, that other boxers of the day started to use his name. Hence the
> phrase, "The real McCoy".

That's interesting. The etymology I heard for "The real McCoy" was that
it came from a bootlegger of high-quality liquor named McCoy during the
Prohibition.

Looks like even the experts are uncertain and have just decided to give
credit to both:

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20010601.html

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Dear Yahoo!: Where did the expression "the real McCoy" come from? James
Orangeville, California Dear James: Unfortunately, this is one of those
puzzling questions without a definitive answer. A number of different
theories attempt to explain the origin of the phrase.

Two of the most popular theories revolve around alcohol. One suggests
that the original saying was "the real MacKay," an advertising slogan
that appeared in 1856 for a Scottish whiskey. Eventually, this saying
supposedly evolved to "the real McCoy" in the United States. The second
alcohol-related theory poses that Bill McCoy was a bootlegger in the
U.S. during Prohibition. Hence real booze became known as "the real
McCoy."

Others claim the saying refers to Elijah McCoy, an engineer born in
1844. He invented the self-regulating lubricator, which revolutionized
the industrial machine and railroad industry. Because his product was so
reliable and many inferior products were produced, buyers of the
lubricator would ask, "Is this the real McCoy?"

Yet another explanation centers on welterweight boxer Norman Selby, also
known as "Kid McCoy." Reportedly, a blow from the boxer left one victim
proclaiming, "It's the real McCoy!"

Although these are the most oft-repeated, they are by no means the only
possibilities. Chances are we'll never know the origin of this curious
expression for certain so pick your favorite story and make your case.
==============

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk