Jinks (July 1904)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Fri, 20 May 2005 04:21:45 -0400, Benjamin Zimmer
<bgzimmer at RCI.RUTGERS.EDU> wrote:

>Doug Wilson posted this Aug. 1904 cite for "jinks" as a precursor for
>"jinx" ('curse, hoodoo'):
>
>-----
>http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0504A&L=ads-l&P=R5156
>_Los Angeles Times_, 11 Aug. 1904: p. A3:
><<The Cincinnati team has done with Mike Donlin for good, and it is not
>likely that this ex-Californian will cut much ice from now on. That term
>in jail put the jinks on Donlin.>>
>-----
>
>Here are two cites from the previous month, more clearly in the 'curse'
>sense:
>
>-----
>1904 _Los Angeles Times_ 12 July II3/2 Any one who can furnish reliable
>information leading to the conviction of the miscreant who put a "jinks"
>on the Los Angeles baseball club's batting eyes last spring will likely
>receive a free pass for the rest of the season by advising Manager
>Morley.
>-----
>1904 _Oakland Tribune_ 16 July 17/7 The Heesemans and the Jesse-Moores
>cannot break away from each other. Both are very good teams, but the
>"jinks" is on them.
>-----

My apologies-- Gerald Cohen alerted me to the fact that Doug Wilson
already posted the L.A. Times cite (as well as an earlier one from Oct.
1903):

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0504B&L=ads-l&P=R1508



--Ben Zimmer