Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-28
PIGEON RACING A
PROFITABLE SPORT
Thousands of Dollars in Prizes
Have Lured Many Into the
Fascinating Sport.

Pigeon racing in England is growing
with leaps and bounds. Ten or fifteen
years ago 1t had about the same foOthold
on the public as the sport has at present
in this country. 1t was then. as it is now,
chiefly the poor mans sport, but, unlike
any other hobby, 1t is the only one where
the rich and the poor. the business man
and the clerk, the professional and the
layman, compete upon common level,
and all for the elevation of the sport.
Five or six races each year was the sum
total Of pleasure derived from a seasons
work. without remuneration for the hours
of labor devoted in bringing the pigeon to
a perfect state to enable it to fly ten.
twelve, fifteen hours and longer without
fatigue. Instead of the hobby gaining
recruits, there was a backward trend
How to stem the tide was the uppermost
thought in the minds of the stanchest ad-
mirers.
1t occurred that the uniting of clubs
for the purpose of joint or concourse
races might stimulate interest, provided
of course, that successful competitors
were substantially rewarded mus for a
small extra outlay the leading pigeons in
every federation race brought home to
the owners snug little sum.
The success of these federation races
were unparalleled. and opened new
field. A few years later several fedora
tons in nearby localities affiliated with
one another and formed combines, the
objects Of which were annual events
from long distant race points. Immediate
ly other combines were formed, and now
practically every county has its combine.
1t was only a natural result then that
the sport should prosper, for the collier
or the joiner. the government clerk or tho
,s,,rr h,rcf in in t1n no.
pers that colleagues had won in a singh
race more actual money that he coul1
possibly make in a year by hard toll.
while at the same time deriving unllm-
tied pleasure from the cleanest and
healthiest of all hobbies, gave him a no
ton, too of entering the sport.
Later on open races began to be ar
ranged, permitting unattached fanciers to
measure the strength of their lofts with
those of the strongest club fanciers. Big
cash prizes, gold medals, silver cups and
other valuable prizes were awarded in
these events for a small entry fee, and
during the past season hundreds OF these
events were conducted throughout the
kingdom.
Thus from less than a half dozen an
nuaI events competing for mere diplomas
the fancy has grown to hundreds of thou
sands of fanciers. and the smallest village
can boast of its racing pigeon club. There
are races from April 1 to November l..
first-class pigeons has increased from
SO to $500. the latter having been paid
for the celebrated Gypsy. which was tele-
gra phed for dozen times over as soon
as an advertisement for her sale appeared
in the papers.
Monthly periodicals gave way to semi
monthly publications, and in honora bic
efforts to successfully strive for patron
age weekly journals were issued and
now semi-weekly. Many advertising
schemes were resorted to to increase CIR
culation among the papers. and the ring
schemes now distribute $4,000 annually
with no increased price for bands A
traveller in England is surprised to find
the racing papers for sale at all news
stands and railroad trains
England's brilliant attachments have
been made examples for fanciers in
America. The start was made by the
formation of the American Racing pigeon
Union. and the guaranteed prizes have
been attracting great deal of attention
Locally the recent action Of the Washing
ton Federation is causing much commo-
ton. The new arrangement by which sd
is guaranteed as a prize for each race is
meeting with hearty welcome. and more
interest Is being manifested in racing
pigeon circles than ever.