Charles "Kid" McCoy
Boxer
Name at birth: Norman Selby
"Kid" McCoy got his nickname when he began prizefighting as a teenager under the pseudonym of Charles McCoy. He went on to become a popular barnstorming boxer, taking on all comers around the world for nearly 25 years. McCoy's "corkscrew" punch was famous for the cutting damage it inflicted on opponent's faces, and he was known for his trickery and unpredictability in the ring. He is often credited with being the inspiration for the popular phrase "The Real McCoy," though the true origins of that phrase are unclear. After retiring from the ring, McCoy spent eight years in San Quentin penitentiary for killing a lover. He committed suicide in 1940.
McCoy appears with Liz Taylor and King Solomon in our loop on Serial Spouses... Other 20th-century boxers include Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
Four Good Links
Kid McCoy
His entry at the International Boxing Hall of Fame
Charles McCoy
Lengthy (if casual) biography of McCoy, with many anecdotes
Kid McCoy: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Admiring recap also emphasizes his cruel streak
The Real McCoy
A quick examination of the possible origins of "The Real McCoy"
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
18 April 1940
(overdose of sleeping pills, age 67)
Best Known As
Barnstorming boxer who may have been "The Real McCoy"
