The Real McCoy

Is it the Real McCoy? - Is it the genuine article?

This phrase stems from a story about the world class welterweight boxing champion Charles ‘Kid’ McCoy. Supposedly he was at some time challenged to prove that he was who he said he was and so he knocked out the inquirer! When the man came through he stated ‘ you obviously are the real McCoy’!

Another theory says that because McCoy was the undisputed champion for many years, over time his name came to stand for the real thing or anyone that was best at what he/she did.

Apparently, he also had many imitators who took his name in boxing booths in small towns throughout the country. It seems that eventually, he called himself Kid ‘The Real’ McCoy to stand out from his mimics.

Of course there are other folktales which may well be true, concerning the origins of this phrase.

There is McCoy the bootlegger who refused to water down his liquor, whose product became known as ‘The real McCoy’ and then,  just to throw a spanner in the works, there’s the letter written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1883.

In this letter, Stevenson writes “He’s the real Mackay.” Coincidence? Who’s to know?