November 1, 2015

A CUP THAT CAME FROM MACAU

SPORTING LISBON'S NEWSPAPER


The photograph of a Journal of Sporting Portugal from 1975 was sent to us by  Sporting fan Nuno Pessoa Barradas, for which we are very grateful, and whose contents we transcribe below:

"In the course of a dinner held in a major Chinese menu, and was joined by some fans from other clubs, including Benfica and Academic of Coimbra, a group of "lions "represented by Amílcar Sérgio Peres, branch manager of BNU Macau, received from the President of the Provincial Council of Physical Education, José dos Santos Ferreira (1), the trophy won by Sporting Clube de Macau, in the 1962/63 Provincial Soccer Championship that was delivered to the "leonine " board in Lisbon to be part of the valuable heritage of the Alvalade guild.
Sporting Clube de Macau while continuing to revive the spirits of the "lions" in this portion of the Far East, has left for several years to take active part in sports events, which also happens with other clubs with Portuguese origin.
Nonetheless sports events of "leonine" origin are celebrated exuberantly by Macanese members and supporters, and this tribute of Sporting Branch, was crowned with the delivery of the cup won at the Provincial Macau Championship of 1962/63 which was held by the CPEF (Provincial Council of Physical Education) to the main house in Lisbon.
During the meeting the President of CPEF, José dos Santos Ferreira, took the floor with the Sporting  Amilcar Sérgio Peres thanked and expressed their satisfaction of being the bearer of the cup that will perpetuate the feat of Macao branch in Room Winners of Alvalade.
The winning team was formed with the following players: Campos, Joaquim I, Vila Franca, Joachim II, Eduardo Atraca,Quim, Quim, Vitor, Beira-Mar, Marques Silva, Fernandes and Carlitos.



 Eduardo Atraca is second on the left, kneeling row

Team champion Sporting Clube de Macau, led by team captain Eduardo Atraca, second from the left, kneeling row.
Sporting Lisbon Newspaper transcribed the following passage referring to this event:
"More than a decade ago, Macao football championships branches of two most famous clubs and popular in the country, Sporting Clube de Portugal and the Sport Lisboa e Benfica, whose teams consisted of Macanese and Portuguese military from Portugal.
Of the two branches, it was the Macau Sporting Club which is more distinguished in football competitions as they came to win the Macau championship title in 1962-63.
For various circumstances both clubs have ceased to exist a few years later, whereupon the province without any subsidiary of metropolitan clubs, although he had not diminished the number of supporters of the nicks of Sporting "lizards" and Benfica "red lights".
It turned out that the trophy was won by Sporting Clube de Macau. It was later handed  over to the Provincial Board of Education, waiting for the club to rise again one day, at which time it would be returned.

As unfortunately there is no hope that this will happen, the current President of the Provincial Council of Physical Education, José dos Santos Ferreira, made a nice gesture that went deep into the hearts of Sporting, decided that the artistic cup won by Sporting Clube de Macau in 1962-63 should be sent to the headquarters - Sporting Clube de Portugal - in order to appear on its impressive Trophy Room, to attest to the Sporting value of its branch in the distant Far East.
And to this end, he invited some of the most ardent Sporting in the province, including the former member of the board of Sporting Clube de Portugal,Mr. Amílcar Sérgio Peres, and two of the founders of Sporting Clube de Macau - Dr. Antonio Maria da Conceição, and Mr. Mário de Abreu (this statement is innacurate, belonging to the prevailing belief then, as in 1926 my father was 16 and Mário Abreu had not yet arrived in Macau) - representatives of the Macau Football Association and the local Portuguese press for a meeting-dinner at Restaurant Chiu Chow Hotel Lisboa, last Wednesday.
During the meal, which by the way was magnificent, Mr. José dos Santos Ferreira, after exposing the reasons for his gesture, handed to Mr. Amílcar Peres valuable trophy in order for it to be sent to Metropolis and exposed in troférus gallery of the prestigious Sporting Clube de Portugal.
The former Sporting Portugal leader, thanking the honorable commission promised to carry it out soon that you can.

*

Macau Physical Education of the Provincial Council letter transcribed in the press:
"Ceased for almost ten years the activities of Sporting Clube de Macau, a highly prestigious guild that while existed, remained affiliated to the Sporting Clube de Portuga,l were left to guard in this Council, by the will of the then members, some achievements earned by local Sporting athletes, including the trophy that was awarded to the Club when it won the Macau Football Championship, Division I, during the season of 1962-63.
This Cup, won with much merit certainly constitute further proof of the value of "lion" athletes, it was since then exhibited in the Sessions Room of this Council, which has promised to return to Sporting Club Macau, at the  the reopening of the headquarters of this Club.
However, so many years have passed, and no indication that Macau Sporting core power was back to sports in this city and restoration of its headquarters.
Accordingly, it was decided by the Provincial Physical Education Council, which would be not only interesting, but also very fair to transfer this Cup to the Hall of Trophies of the prestigious Sporting Club of Portugal, having it exhibited among the very many trophies attesting to the merit of the  Universe of  "leonine" athletes.
Therefore, and because the undersigned is highly convinced  that there does not exist in Macau Sporting a more dedicated and zealous person for the things of Sporting Clube de Portugal then Your Excellency, we wish to put in your good hands the Winner's Cup Macao Football - 1st. Division - the season of 1962-1963 in our possession, requesting Your Excellency to kindly promote its sending to its new destination.
Ensured that Your Excellency will agree to this request the signatory, with anticipated thanks, requests to convey our  high regards and l warm greetings from this Council to Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Provincial Physical Education Council in Macau on 15 February 1975.
The President
José dos Santos Ferreira 


Note 1
José dos Santos Ferreira was renowned Macanese, great sportsman, accomplished player in field hockey, Poet patois of Macau (Macanese dialect based on the seventeenth-century Portuguese), director of fantastic recitals in patois, President of the Provincial Council of Physical Education, and Director of Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, STDM Stanley Ho, who for decades had the game of monopoly in Macau.


Note 2
By September 25, 1991 we can see that Sporting Macau has been reactivated, now mainly by local Macanese and Chinese players. Former captain Eduardo Atraca can be seen in the center of the photograph, in white shirt and to the immediate right, Francisco Manhão now President of the Macau Veterans Football Association. Again they became champions in almost full amateur mode.

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