Quote:
Originally Posted by oldjudge
Cy--from what I have read there are several theories as to what the name means, if anything. Your theory is one of several and I would not jump to the conclusion that it is the correct theory.
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Jay - I agree that it is good not to jump to conclusions, but when I did the research, I had one of those "Aha!" moments that one gets when they solve a riddle.
Riddles and wordplay were very popular forms of entertainment in the 19th Century - remember, this is before the days of radio and television. Solving riddles was a social and recreational activity. In the book "Emma", by Jane Austen, they sit before a dinner party and solve riddles together.
Moreover, the education system was different back then. Most students had to learn french and latin. So having a double-entendre like the one found in "McCreachery", where the answer lies in the roots of the name, would not be so far out of the norm for that time period.
The idea that the card just accidentally featured Deacon White, stating that he was a manager, with a false, unheard of name whose etymology suggests a double-entendre which very accurately and wittingly describes White's situation at that time is highly implausible.
Far more likely is that the card was a joke, as initially surmised by Joe G., and the riddle that I outlay above is the solution to why the card was called "McCreachery". And it is a splendid riddle! Very funny!!!
