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| Full name | São Paulo Athletic Club | |
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| Union | Brazilian Rugby Confederation | |
| Founded | 13 May 1888; 137 years ago (1888-05-13) | |
| Location | São Paulo | |
| Region | São Paulo (state) | |
| President | John McDonnel | |
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro | |
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| Official website | ||
| spac | ||
São Paulo Athletic Club - officially nowadaysClube Atlético São Paulo, but generally referred to asSPAC, is a Braziliansports club founded on 13 May 1888 byCharles William Miller and several English immigrants, being one of the firstassociation football clubs in the country. Although football is not practised anymore, SPAC currently hosts the practice offutsal,rugby union,squash,swimming,tennis andvolleyball.
São Paulo Athletic Clube was established by the British community living inSão Paulo, in 1888. Those British residents used to playcricket at the Pirituba field, property ofBritish company São Paulo Railway Co.[citation needed]
One of the most notable members and sportsmen in the club history was Charles Miller, who after returning to his native country fromEngland (where he had studied) began to actively participate in the development of the club. Miller (who was 19 and is considered the "father" of Paulista football) introduced football and rugby to the club in 1895, even bringing somefootballs and arules book to teach the basis of the sport there. SPAC and Miller were founding members of theCampeonato Paulista, the first football tournament not only of São Paulo but Brazil, whose first edition was in 1902. SPAC won the championship, being Miller also the top scorer of the tournament with 10 goals. SPAC would win 3 more titles (in 1903, 1904 and 1911), totalizing four football championships.
1911 was the last successful year of football in the club. SPAC won the last game vs. SC Germania by 2-0, winning the last title for the club. The final game was played on 20 October 1912 against the same club. After that, SPAC retired from official football competitions, although the sport continued being practised at the institution but only for recreation. The club was also a founding member of the São Paulo Tennis Federation.
With football out of competition, rugby became the main sport of the club. In 1932 and 1936 theBrazilian national team playedSouth Africa andEngland, with most of its players called up from SPAC. Due toWorld War II rugby came to a hiatus until 1947 when the British players returned to Brazil, although the number of enthusiasts had decreased. In 1948 Jimmy Macintyre retired from rugby but he would never leave the sport, dedicating to manage the team and organizing a tour in 1950.
The Brazilian toured onUruguay, where the team won the three games played, including the final match by 20-0. By the end of the 1940s, Irish Harry Donovan arrived in Brazil. Donovan would be president of the club (1964–65), then founding the Brazilian Rugby Union in 1963 along with Macyntire.
Men's
Women's
