What's the origin of 'The whole nine yards'.

[ma]

I know that this has probably been round the block a few times. My tuppence worth: it's probably got to do with a humpback whales' pink floyd, todger or whatever you may call it. I believe it measures about that much but I stand to be proved otherwise.

[andy hughes]

Opinions on this vary. One version says it refers to the distance between stops in a baseball ground, and you can run 'the whole nine yrds'. Another version is that it's the length of material made to make a man's suit, and if the tailor is not scrimping, but is generous with the cutting to ensure the suit is a good fit, he uses ' the whole nine yards'. Any more?

[Quizmonster]

Click http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/nineyards.h
tm for a whole raft of further possibilities.