A COMMUNITY THAT CARES
SPAC reconnects with its British roots By Eric Nice & Hudson Ferreira | São Paulo Atheltic Club | www.spac.org.br
J
ust at the most challenging moment of this generation, SPAC (São Paulo Athletic Club) has committed itself to entering its third wave of changes, a decision that puts us back on the Brazil-UK route. It is worth mentioning that it is the oldest sports and social club in Brazil, coming up on its 133rd year in existence is a source of great pride for both our board of directors and members. As recognised by the history of sports in the country, SPAC is the club responsible for the arrival of soccer in Brazil. With that, I invite you to travel with us to the first wave of transformations of the club, which happened shortly after its foundation. We were created and set up by British employees of the São Paulo Railway on May 13th 1888. That’s right! On the same day that Princess Isabel signed the Lei Áurea, a law that freed the slaves in Petrópolis (RJ), in downtown São Paulo, on São Bento Street, a group of immigrants founded SPAC.
soccer balls and a rule book. Thus, soccer was born in this country. During the years that followed, we faced the Spanish Flu pandemic and two world conflicts. We always remained firm in our social and sporting goals, maintaining sports practices that are almost exclusive to Britain, such as cricket, lawn bowling and rugby. Then the second wave of transformations occurred in the 1970s. Brazil began to receive many foreign executives, who arrived in São Paulo and demanded a place where they could play sports, socialise and take their children. SPAC, recently refurbished, was the destination for most of the foreigners who came to São Paulo. Due to the digital age, this practice ended up being less frequent. Even so, we are still the meeting point for many foreigners and their descendants.
In the 21st century, the club began to change its profile and attract many new members, such as families with young children, which gave us a delightfully friendly atmosphere. With the pandemic and a new reform, both physical and structural (in the governing body), SPAC now turns its eyes, in this third wave, to its origins. At this point we come to the reason for this article, which is to reconnect with the British community. We have grown, progressed, adapted to the respective eras but we are very proud of our DNA. Therefore, our doors are open to you. ◼
The club was set up on a stretch of land bought for a very fair price, from Dona Veridiana Prado, who felt indebted to some of those immigrants who helped her son, who was under political persecution, to go into exile. It is this same central land in the city that the club occupies to this day, in an oasis between Consolação and Augusta streets. In 1895, seven years after SPAC’s birth, associate Charles Miller returned from studies in England with two tanned leather
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British Society São Paulo | Fundação Britanica de Beneficência | Spotlight N° 130
