Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Clube de Regatas Vaco da Gama


Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama, usually known as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, (after the famous Portuguese explorer of the same name) is a Brazilian sports club from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, founded on August 21, 1898 (although the football department started on November 5, 1915). It was founded by Portuguese immigrants, and it is still the team traditionally supported by the Portuguese community of Rio de Janeiro.
Their home stadium is the São Januário, capacity 36,273.
In the late 19th century rowing was the most important sport in Rio de Janeiro. At this time, four young men who did not want to travel to Niterói to row with the boats of Gragoatá Club decided to found a rowing club.
Inspired by the celebrations of the 4th centenary of the first sail from Europe to India, the founders chose the name of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama to baptise the new club.

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