Mike Tyson’s Foray into Pigeon Racing
Behind the Ringside Bar and Lounge on Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City stands a white, two-story pigeon coop with several spacious rooms. The birds can spend the day touring the city and return at night for a safe, comfortable rest with their fellow travelers.
“They always come back because they get free food, free water, and a free place to sleep. It’s like the Pigeon Hilton on Tonnelle Avenue,” said Mario Costa, owner of the Ringside Bar and Lounge.
The door to the free-standing structure proudly displays the name of this pigeon hotel as, “Tyson’s Corner”. That’s right, the owner of these pigeons and their coop is the former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson. Tyson and his pigeons will make their first television debut together on Animal Planet in March 2011.
The show, “Taking on Tyson”, will run six episodes with a focus on the ancient sport of pigeon racing. Tyson and his birds will challenge established and champion racers to non-wagering matches. “I’ve been raising pigeons all my life,” Tyson said. “In fact, this coop is the exact replica of the one I had in Catskill, New York where I trained.” Many pieces of the coop, including the door, were brought to Jersey City by Costa after Tyson’s step-mother, Camille Ewald passed away.
But training the birds to race was new to Tyson, so Costa stepped in to help. “We trained the birds little by little each day. First we would get them to fly two miles and come back, then five, then ten, until they could complete a 300 to 500 mile run like they would in a real race,” Costa said. The trick is to train them before they’re fed in the morning to ensure they will return.
Breeding is the one aspect of pigeon racing that Tyson was already familiar with from his past. “I pair all of the birds together and most of them mate for life. But some of them do cheat,” Tyson joked. “A few birds have eggs in a couple different coops.”
Tyson’s pigeon raising and new racing practices have already drawn criticism from animal activists. PETA president and co-founder, Ingrid Newkirk has called upon the Brooklyn district attorney to stop the show from filming in New York. She said the show “will do viewers and pigeons a terrible disservice…as it will sentence countless birds to a life in a cramped cage and ultimately a bad end,” in a Change.org blog post.
Tyson, as an animal-lover and vegan, was upset. “This birds are given water and food everyday. They are medicated so they don’t get sick and have plenty of space,” he said. “They aren’t mistreated.”
Tyson, Costa and their pigeons will travel across the country during the show to compete in the races. “But we will always come back to Jersey City,” Costa said. “It’s going to be our team’s hometown.”
Mike Tyson’s Foray into Pigeon Racing by Ashley Strain/The Jersey Journal
Mike… you are awesome…also my parents have a pigeon that they saved that is so cool and it needs your help because they can no longer care for it because of their health . I think you could really appreciate this bird !!
I just missed meeting mike out on the island one day while he was visiting ” Tony”
Didn’t know he was into homers thought he was a ” rollar guy ” still were all birds of a feather, fanciers.
Its good to see different walks of life flying pigeons famous people doctors lawyers etc its just to bad
there isn’t more that would take up the sport.
I wana be I wana be like Miiake
we need more celebrity like Mike Tyson racing pigeon , so that people will look at the pigeon sport more professionally.
Hi Mike I loved pigeons since I was small you’re doing a great thing in doing what you love. I want to ask a silly question please send me some of your pigeons LOL. I live in South Africa would love to have some of your own breeds as I am starting the sport.
Mike Your doing a great job and please dont let these critics get to you . Just let it go in one ear and out the other. These people/critics /Peta have no clue eccept what they make up about cramped space, disease, cruelty for sending them to races. its all a crock of crap and they have nothing better to do but bash you and us Racing Pigeon Fanciers. Your Show will surely promote the sport that alot of people have heard about but people dont know much about our sport eccept they have heard of the sport and ask how the racing Pigeons make it home. Your show will open the eyes of the watchers of how interesting and fun and exciting the sport of Racing Pigeons and your show will surely make people look into it further and bring in newbies to our wonderful Sport. Im thrilled you are doing this show as are many other Racing fanciers. Keep up the good work and ide like to Personally thank You for Promoting the Pigeons with your New Show- Yours in the sport- GlenComLofts. PS if you would ever consider this i have Top Champion Pigeons that are Famous world wide and would like to Give you one to try out in the Races. You would surely be on top with one of my Champs IAM forum maroccain of the city el jadida
Now after all the hoop-la about Tyson being a great pigeon person–now what? Has he won a pigeon race? Has he won a pigeon show? Has he done anything other than attempt to employ a poor pigeon to melt his own horrible and earned reputation. Why is it that our sport has to suffer such insanity?