Clube de Regatas do Flamengo

Flamengo was founded on November 17, 1895, by a group of rowers gathered at club member Nestor de Barros's manor on Flamengo Beach in Rio de Janeiro. In the late 19th century, rowing was the elite sport in the region and the group hoped to impress the young women of the city's high society by establishing a rowing club. Previously, they could only afford a used boat named Pherusa, which had to be completely rebuilt before it could be used in competition. The team debuted on October 6, 1895, when they sailed off the Caju Point toward Flamengo Beach. However, strong winds turned over the boat and the rowers nearly drowned. They were rescued by a fishing boat named Leal (Loyal). Later as the Pherusa was undergoing repairs, it was stolen and never found again. The group saved money to buy a new boat, the Etoile, renamed Scyra. The recently formed football (soccer) team before a match vs. Paissandu, 1912. On the night of November 17, the group gathered at Nestor de Barros's manor on Flamengo beach and founded the Grupo de Regatas do Flamengo (English: Flamengo Rowing Group) and elected its first board and president (Domingos Marques de Azevedo). The name was changed a few weeks later to its current title of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (Flamengo Rowing Club). The founders decided that the anniversary of the club's foundation should be commemorated on November 15 to coincide with Republic Procalamation Day, a national holiday. The first regatta victory came in 1898 in the Nautical Championship of Brazil, and the first title was won in 1900, the Regatta of the IV Centenary of the Discovery of Brazil, for which the club was awarded the Jug Tropon trophy. In 1905 the club won a classic event, the South American Cup. By 1908, Flamengo had already won 43 gold, 126 silver and 141 bronze medals. The success of the rowing club made the team famous even before the founding of the football department in 1911. Great rowers such as Everardo Paes de Lima, Arnaldo Voigt, Alfredo Correia ("Boca Larga"), Ângelo Gammaro ("Angelú") and Antônio Rebello Junior ("Engole Garfo") came through Flamengo, the latter three being considered Brazilian sports heroes for completing the Rio-Santos crossing in 1932.