Meteorological Observatory Afonso de Chaves for more than 50 years. Dating from 1843, this organization had its agricultural garden, that later were sold off to João Augusto Carreiro de Mendonça, along Rua Diário dos Açores, later the Banco Comercial dos Açores offices. It was in the Sociedade Promotora da Agricultura Micaelense, Sociedade Promotora da Instrução e Recreio and the Sociedade dos Amigos das Letras e das Artes, founded in 1884 by António Feliciano de Castilho, that fomented the associative movement of São Miguel, managing several initiatives and, ultimately, founding other organizations, sport clubs and the need to form a football association in Ponta Delgada. Football A few Micalense educated in the United Kingdom, travelling on holiday, brought a football, and in 1898, formed two groups: one in red, and the other blue, facing-off in the pitch of the agricultural market of São Gonçalo. Both groups consisted of the early pioneers of football to the island: Rolando de Viveiros, Marquês de Jácome Correia, Weber Tavares, Edgardo Garcia and Alfredo Pinto, along with other locals, José de Carvalho, António Botelho da Câmara, José Morais Pereira, Padre James Machin (do Colégio Fisher), Raul Pregadeiro, Alberto Morais de Carvalho, Martiniano da Silva, Ernesto Pinto, Guilherme Machado de Faria e Maia, Manuel da Silva, Joaquim Correia e Silva, among others. Dr. Aristides Moreira da Mota, João de Morais Pereira and João José de Viveiros occupied the positions of leaders, thus stimulating, with the prestige of his name and his age, the sporting initiative. At end of the 19th and early 20th century, the newspapers, and specifically the paper A Persusão, directed by Francisco Maria Supico, celebrated the achievements of several organizations. But, it was just after the First World War, that football began to be practiced regularly, such as the Mata do Doca, where stationed North American forces during the war could be found, increasing local commerce. Member clubs Member clubs include: Clube Desportivo Santa Clara - Ponta Delgada - Primeira Liga Clube Operário Desportivo - Lagoa - Segunda II Divisão Capelense Sport Clube - Capelas - Terceira Divisão Clube União Micaelense - Ponta Delgada - Terceira Divisão Santiago Futebol Clube - Água de Pau - Terceira Divisão Sporting Clube Ideal - Ribeira Grande - Terceira Divisão Águia Clube Desportivo - Arrifes - District (Distritais) Clube Desportivo Rabo de Peixe - Rabo de Peixe - District (Distritais) Futebol Clube Vale Formoso - Furnas - -