Was the card game Gin Rummy named after alcohol?

looney_tunes

Rummy is the generic name for a group of games involving collection of sets and runs. It has a number of variants, and the origins of boith the game and its name are unclear. One theory, "espoused by John Scarne in “Scarne on Cards” (1949), explains that the game was started in America and was later exported to Mexico where it was given the name Conquian. Scarne suggests that Rummy was derived from Poker which originated with French Settlers in the American West. The Poker theory seems plausible in light of the fact that in both Rummy and Poker cards are combined to form sequences and groups. According to Scarne, Rummy was developed from a game called “Whiskey Poker,” later known as “Rum Poker,” “Rum,” and then finally “Rummy.”" http://www.thegamblersedge.com/rummy/rummy.htm "Gin Rummy (then called simply Gin) was devised in 1909 by Elwood T. Baker of Brooklyn, N. Y., a whist teacher; the name, suggested by Mr. Baker's son, played on the alcoholic affinity of rum and gin." http://www.gameaccount.com/games/ginRummy/history.shtml Nov 08 08, 3:27 PM