Excursionistas

Club Atletico Excursionistas is an Argentine sports club based in the Belgrano neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The club is mainly known for their football team. It currently plays in the Primera C Metropolitana, the fourth level of the Argentine football league system.

History

The beginning

The club was founded in 1910 in the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires. The name "Excursionistas" (which could roughly be translated as "Voyagers" from Spanish to English) was chosen due to the founders' constant trips (voyages) to the Parana River and Isla Maciel to compete in athletic tournaments. They initially named the club "Club Union Excursionistas".

The first jersey worn was green (for the color of grass) with a horizontal white stripe (white referred to the tablecloths used in the picnics they frequently had).

Entering the football league

Excursionistas disputed its first tournament in 1911, playing its home games at "Club Florida", an institution of Florida neighborhood in Greater Buenos Aires. Before the 1912 season, the club acquired a land in Belgrano neighborhood, where its stadium was built, more precisely on the corner of streets La Pampa and Minones.

In 1916, the team was promoted to the second division (then named Division Intermedia) after defeating Palermo by 1–0. In 1919 the club changed its name to the current "Club Atletico Excursionistas", also modifying its jersey, which vertical stripes of white and green.

Promotion to the first division - 20s to 50s

In 1924, in the old San Lorenzo de Almagro stadium, Excursionistas defeated Talleres de Remedios de Escalada 2–1, thus proclaiming themselves champion and earning the promotion to Primera Division. More than 10,000 spectators attended the match.

In 1931 goalkeeper Fortunato Grimoldi was called up to the Argentina national team. He also appeared on the cover of El Grafico (the most important sports magazine in Latin America)