Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata was founded on June 3, 1887, as "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima", initially with fencing as its main activity, as its name in Spanish indicated. Association football (the sport for which the club is mostly known) was added at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1915, Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia, the second division of Argentine football league system by then. That same year the club also won the Copa Bullrich. Later, in 1929, the club would become champions of Primera División, its first title in the top division. Once in the professional era, Gimnasia became champions of the Segunda División in 1944, 1947 and 1952 and won the Copa Centenario de la AFA in 1994. Additionally, the squad has been a runner-up in the Primera División on five occasions and runner-up of 2017-18 Copa Argentina. The club has remained at the top level of Argentine football for 96 seasons, giving it with Huracán the eighth longest participation at this level. Beginning At the beginning of the 20th century Gimnasia was taking part, among with other institutions as Facultad de Medicina, Porteño, Belgrano AC and River Plate, in the third division of Argentina. The club also had a team competing in the junior category (under 17-year-old). In 1905, Gimnasia had to left the field located in 13 and 71 street, so the club decided to suspend all football activities, focusing on social activities. This caused that many members left the club to form their own institution, which was named "Estudiantes de La Plata". In 1912, a group of football players who were in conflict with Estudiantes de La Plata joined Club Independencia. This club merged with Gimnasia y Esgrima in 1914, restarting the practise of football. Promotion and debut in Primera After leaving football for a few years, the club restarted the practise of the sport in 1912. Three years later the squad promoted to the first division after defeating Honor y Patria by 3–1, on December 15, 1915. Some of the players that achieved promotion were Emilio Fernández, Diómedes Bernasconi, Luis Basérico, Ricardo Naón, Roberto Felices, Edmundo Ferreiroa, H. Negri, Angelo Bottaro, Ricardo Gazcón, José Torres Amaral, Manuel Alvarez, Horacio Sancet, José Iglesias, Ernesto Guruciaga, Ignacio Bulla, Pedro Schiaffino, Sebastián Galesio, Clemente Lastra, Sebastián Mansilla, Delfín Derves, Antonio Gismano, Jorge