[Ads-l] Antedating of "Jinx, v."

[Peter Reitan]

Not earlier, but “jinksed” as a verb a short time later.

The Saturday Evening Post, Volume 182, Number 48, May 28, 1910, page 5.

The Naïve Mr. Dasher – Story of a Baseball Jinks, by Allen Sangree.

[Start Excerpt] “It wouldn’t be hard to put a jinks on this club,” he told himself confidently.  “There’s a dozen of ‘em scared t’ death of a wagonload of empty barrels.  Miller – he’s th’ limit, McGuigan’s a nut himself.  By gad, I’d like t’ do it; old gold-digger’d never know – get ‘em jinksed – set ‘em down a couple o’ games.[End Excerpt]

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t2j70302x&view=1up&seq=79&skin=2021

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From: Peter Reitan<mailto:pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 8, 2022 11:08 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Antedating of "Jinx, v."

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Poster:       Peter Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Antedating of "Jinx, v."
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I have a lot of information on =93Jinks=94 and =93Jinx=94 that I have not p=
ut in a blog post yet.

I had not taken a close look at Jinx as a verb, but have taken a quick look=
 after seeing these comments.

=93Jinx=94 is almost certainly, ultimately from an old play or song or char=
acter, =93Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines,=94 as noted by Barry Popik (p=
erhaps others) long ago, I believe.

Jinx, Hoodo, Mascot were all common in baseball for bad luck charms and a g=
ood luck charm.
=93Put the Jinx on=94 was in use from at least 1908 in baseball.

I=92ve now found =93Jinksed=94 as a verb from 1910, also in baseball.

The Buffalo Enquirer, March 10, 1910, page 8.
[Begin Excerpt] Unlucky Josh Devore. . . . =93Ask any of McGraw=92s men who=
 is the most unfortunate ball player in the business and Devore will be the=
 answer.  Josh says somebody has =91Jinksed=92 him. [End Excerpt]
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107205766/the-buffalo-enquirer/

A 1915 example of =93jinxed=94.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 18, 1915, page 16.
[Begin Excerpt] Fate has been unkind to Harry Howell, former Texas League u=
mpire.  His ambition to become a grand opera star seems to have jinxed him.=
 [End Excerpt]
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107205310/fort-worth-star-telegram/

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From: Pete Morris<mailto:mr_peter_morris at OUTLOOK.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 8, 2022 3:41 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Antedating of "Jinx, v."

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----
Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster:       Pete Morris <mr_peter_morris at OUTLOOK.COM>
Subject:      Re: Antedating of "Jinx, v."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----

Here's another cite, possibly 1912 or not long after.

Asked if it were true that a cross-eyed girl was a jinx to a player he=3D20
replied
"It takes less than a cross-eyed girl to jinx them  sometimes"

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Santa_Fe_Employes_Magazine/WnMhAQAAM=
=3D
AAJ?hl=3D3Den&gbpv=3D3D1&bsq=3D3D%22to+jinx%22&dq=3D3D%22to+jinx%22&printse=
c=3D3Dfron=3D
tcover


Just for clarity, is this a specific baseball term?  Or would jinx as a=3D2=
0
verb in other
contexts count?  (I don't follow sport at all, and baseball is a=3D20
complete mystery to me)



------ Original Message ------
>From "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Date 08/08/2022 01:49:25
Subject Antedating of "Jinx, v."

>The OED's first use for "jinx" as a verb is dated 1917.  Edward J. Nichols=
=3D
, An Historical Dictionary of Baseball Terminology 39 (1939) cites _New Yor=
=3D
k Tribune_, 21 Apr. 1912, although it is possible that the usage cited is a=
=3D
s a noun.
>
>Fred Shapiro
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


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