Claim: The Irish historian James Adair translated Chunkey as "running hard labor," a game played in variations throughout North America.
Evidence: Early ethnographer James Adair translated the name to mean "running hard labor". James Adair (c.1709–1783) was a native of County Antrim, Ireland, who went to North America and became a trader with the Native Americans of the Southeastern Woodlands. Variations were played throughout North America. Chunkey (also known as chunky, chenco, tchung-kee or the hoop and stick game ) is a game of Native American origin.