Ritchie MacCoy was born on November 28, 1901 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Growing up near the Dalhousie University campus he attended the Morris Street School, where he played rugby and soccer. In 1917, MacCoy entered the Halifax Academy to take his senior year over again. It was there that his interest in football grew.

By 1918, he was elected captain of the Wanderers team. He remained with the Wanderers for eight seasons, during which they won four League Championships and two Maritime Championships. Known as “The Mighty Atom”, MacCoy excelled not only at football, but also at tennis, hockey, and basketball.

In 1927, MacCoy left Halifax to try out for the Montreal Canadians Football Team. This was a big adjustment as the team played Canadian-style football, not the English style he was accustomed to playing. MacCoy played only a few games before realizing that he wanted to return to English-style rugby.

From 1927 to 1936, he was a star player with the Montreal Winged Wheelers Football team. After retiring at age 35, Ritchie MacCoy moved back to Nova Scotia in 1937. He is an Original Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame Inductee.