Minor antedating of Chinese Checkers(1937)

[Fred Shapiro]

On Fri, 19 Sep 2003, Sam Clements wrote:

> OED doesn't list, as far as I could find.
> M-W says 1938.
>
> >From the Elyria(OH) Chronicle Telegram, December 7, 1937,  p. 4:
>      "Chinese Checkers furnished the entertainment of the evening and Mr.
> Schouherr was presented with many fine gifts."

Here's an earlier citation:

1936 _N.Y. Times_ 22 Mar. 11  Ching Gong (Chinese checkers) provides
checkers with a fast moving twist, which either 2 or 3 people can play.
Get all your men in the opposite triangle bearing your clor by moves and
jumps over any men on the board, and in the same position as the original
set-up.

(There are 1922 and 1923 articles in the _Los Angeles Times_ that describe
mah jongg as "Chinese checkers.")

Fred Shapiro


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Collections and     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
  Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press,
Yale Law School                             forthcoming
e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------