A jinx (also jynx), in popular superstition and folklore, is a curse or the attribute of attracting bad or negative luck.
[1][2] In the 20th century, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne was sometimes said to be jinxed, having twice struck a friendly ship, with considerable loss of life.
[citation needed] In 1887, the character Jinks Hoodoo, described as "a curse to everybody, including himself" appeared in the musical comedy Little Puck, and the name was quickly picked up by the press.
He treated the matter just as seriously as they, condoling with The Dasher, bracing up the Yeggman, execrating the jinx and summoning all his occult strategy to outwit it.
[6]And later referenced in Pitching at a Pinch (1912), Christy Mathewson[5] explained that "a jinx is something which brings bad luck to a ball player."