The history of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, a Brazilian multi-sport club known for its participation in various disciplines beyond football, began in 1895 when it was founded to compete in rowing in Rio de Janeiro.

Founding for rowing competitions The beginnings In the late 19th century, rowing was a prominent sport in Rio de Janeiro. Football was beginning to appear in some clubs but faced skepticism and lacked widespread acceptance in carioca society. Rowing, however, was a leading sport, with competitions occurring in the mornings and rowing groups active at every beach. At Flamengo Beach, people often engaged in leisurely boat rides in the bay and gathered for conversations at Café Lamas, a well-known restaurant in Largo do Machado.

In September 1895, José Agostinho Pereira da Cunha proposed the creation of a rowing club to Nestor de Barros, Mário Spíndola, and Augusto Lopes da Silveira. The group agreed to the idea, and it gained support among others at Largo do Machado. Establishing a rowing club required a boat, which was a necessary piece of equipment.

A used five-oar whaleboat was available for purchase. Mário Spíndola, Felisberto Laport, Nestor de Barros, José Félix da Cunha Meneses, and José Agostinho Pereira da Cunha contributed four hundred thousand réis to buy the boat, which required extensive repairs to be suitable for the new rowing group.

The boat was named "Pherusa", and a shipwright from Maria Angu was hired for the repairs, which cost two hundred and fifty thousand réis. Those able to contribute funded the work. On 6 October, the group celebrated the completion of the repairs and prepared to retrieve "Pherusa".

A group including Nestor de Barros, José Félix, José Agostinho, Mário Spíndola, Felisberto Laport, Napoleão de Oliveira, Maurício Rodrigues Pereira, and Joaquim Bahia set out to collect the boat. They were pleased to see "Pherusa" in good condition, appearing almost new as it floated in the sea.

After noon, the group departed from Ponta do Caju in the boat, with Mário Spíndola steering. Despite worsening weather, including strong winds and rain, the group continued. However, "Pherusa" capsized during the storm. The crew held onto the boat's remains, and Joaquim Bahia, a skilled swimmer, swam to shore to seek help.

As the weather calmed, a boat from Penha noticed Mário Spíndola's signal—a white flag—and rescued the group. The crew of the "Leal" saved everyone and towed the damaged "Pherusa", which was beyond repair.

The loss of the boat was secondary to concerns for Bahia's safety. After four hours, Bahia reached the shore and was relieved to find his companions safe. Efforts to repair "Pherusa" resumed, but before it could be used in competition, the boat was stolen and never recovered. The group retained memories of "Pherusa" and remained committed to establishing a formal rowing club.

The foundation

A boat named "Scyra" was acquired. On 17 November 1895, a meeting took place in a hallway at 22 Flamengo Beach, where Nestor de Barros lived in one of the rooms. The space had previously housed "Pherusa" and now held "Scyra". The purpose of the gathering was to formally establish the Flamengo Rowing Group. During this meeting, the first board was elected:

Domingos Marques de Azevedo; President Francisco Lucci Colas; Vice-President Nestor de Barros; Secretary Felisberto Cardoso Laport; Treasurer

In addition to the elected board, the following individuals were recognized as founding members: José Agostinho Pereira da Cunha, Napoleão Coelho de Oliveira, Mário Espínola, José Maria Leitão da Cunha, Carlos Sardinha, Maurício Rodrigues Pereira, Desidério Guimarães, Eduardo Sardinha, Emido José Barbosa, José Félix Cunha Meneses, George Leuzinger, Augusto Lopes da Silveira, João de Almeida Lustosa, and José Augusto Chairéo. The latter three were absent from the meeting but were still considered founders. It was decided that the official founding date of the club would be 15 November, a national holiday.

The club initially adopted blue and gold colors in wide horizontal stripes. On 23 November 1896, at the suggestion of Nestor de Barros, the colors were changed to red and black, which remain in use today.

Additional boats were purchased, and Flamengo began to compete successfully. On 5 June 1898, at the First Regatta of the Brazilian Nautical Championship, the club achieved its first victory with "Irerê", a two-oar whaleboat. Prior to this, Flamengo had recorded several minor placings and second-place finishes, earning the nickname "Bronze Club." By 1902, due to its increasing prominence, the group was officially renamed Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.

An interesting note in the history of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo is that its athletes participated in a football match before the formal establishment of the club's football department. On 25 October 1903, Flamengo rowers played a friendly match alongside members of Botafogo.

Football The Football Department of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo is recognized for its history and prominence.

The beginnings Starting in 1902, rowing began to gain public interest alongside football. As a result, some Flamengo members also supported Fluminense for football, while Fluminense supporters joined Flamengo for regattas. Alberto Borgerth represented this overlap, rowing for Flamengo in the mornings and playing football for Fluminense in the afternoons.

In 1911, a disagreement within Fluminense caused several players to leave for Flamengo. On 8 November 1911, an assembly decided to create a land sports department led by Alberto Borgerth. The conflict originated from a dispute involving Oswaldo Gomes and multiple first-team Fluminense players. Initially, joining Botafogo was considered, but this was quickly rejected due to Botafogo's rivalry with Fluminense. Strengthening Paissandu was also suggested but declined, as the club was exclusively English. Ultimately, Borgerth's proposal to establish a football section within Flamengo was approved at the assembly on 8 November.

1912 to 1933: From the first match to the end of amateurism Flamengo conducted its initial training sessions at Russel Beach and officially affiliated with the Metropolitan League of Land Sports on 3 May 1912. On the same day, Flamengo played its first match at America’s field, defeating Mangueira 16–2, though some sources cite a 15–2 score, with Belfort Duarte as the referee. Flamengo's lineup included Baena; Píndaro and Nery; Coriol, Gilberto, and Galo; Baiano, Arnaldo, Amarante, Gustavo, and Borgerth.

In 1912, Flamengo won its first football title, the Carioca Championship Second Division. The team's original uniform, known as "penny parrot," was replaced in 1914 with the coral snake shirt, which was used until 1916. During this period, Flamengo secured its first Carioca Championship title in 1914, followed by another in 1915.

In 1921, Flamengo won its second consecutive Carioca Championship. In 1925, the club achieved six professional football titles: the Carioca Championship, Carioca Second Division Championship, Torre Sport Club-PE Trophy, Agência Hudson-PE Trophy, Jornal do Comércio de Pernambuco-PE Trophy, and Sérgio de Loreto-PE Trophy. In 1927, Flamengo was named "Brazil's most beloved club" and received the Salutaris Trophy after defeating Vasco in a contest organized by Jornal do Brasil. In 1930, Flamengo recorded its lowest football performance to date. In 1933, the team undertook its first international tour and played its last amateur match on 14 May, defeating River 16–2. In 1934, Flamengo won the Extra Tournament.

1934 to 1955: From professional beginnings to the second three-peat

In 1934, José Bastos Padilha was elected president of Flamengo, during which time the club increased its social prominence and fanbase. In 1936, players Domingos da Guia and Leônidas da Silva, who later became Brazil's top scorer at the 1938 FIFA World Cup while with Flamengo, joined the team. In 1937, coach Dori Kruschner implemented the WM formation and introduced off-ball training. That same year, a second uniform was introduced to enhance visibility during night matches due to the era's limited lighting conditions. The Carioca championships were unified under the Carioca Football League, with all participating clubs transitioning to professional status. In 1939, Flamengo won the Carioca Championship after a 12-year gap, setting the stage for a state three-peat in the 1940s.

In 1940, Flamengo and Fluminense were tied for first place in the 1940 Rio-São Paulo Tournament. The CBD (Brazilian Sports Confederation) declared the tournament incomplete, with no champion named, as documented by Jornal do Brasil, O Estado de São Paulo, Folha de S.Paulo, and CBD Bulletins (predecessor to the modern CBF). In 1941, Flamengo participated in its first international competition, the Argentine Hexagonal Tournament. In 1942, Brazil's first organized supporters’ group, Charanga Rubro-Negra, was established. In 1943, Flamengo won the Rio de Janeiro Relâmpago Tournament, and in 1944, it achieved its first Carioca three-peat (1942–43–44). In 1946, Zizinho, a notable Brazilian player and Flamengo product, suffered an injury that sidelined him for six months, affecting the team's performance. Zizinho was transferred to Bangu in 1950, a move regarded as one of Flamengo's least favorable transactions. In 1949, Flamengo secured its first international titles, defeating the Guatemala national team to win the Brazilian Embassy Trophy and the National Olympic Committee Trophy in Guatemala. During the 1950s, Flamengo earned additional international titles, including the Lima International Tournament in Peru (1952), the Juan Domingo Perón Trophy in Argentina (1953), the 1954 Rio de Janeiro International Triangular Tournament, and the Gilberto Cardoso Tournament in Rio de Janeiro (1955). In 1955, Flamengo also achieved its second Carioca three-peat.

1956 to 1973: Golden years