Revealed by Bonsucesso, he played for the club professionally in 1932 and 1933, when he was hired by CR Flamengo, alongside his strike partner Leônidas.
Without achieving the previous performance, he ended up moving to CR Vasco da Gama, and there he scored the first goal of a completely professional match in the Campeonato Carioca, on 2 April 1934, against America.
[1] Gradim retired in 1938 after fracturing his leg, beginning his career as a coach in the youth categories at Bonsuceso, where he remained until the end of the 40s.
[2] In 1957 he arrived at Vasco da Gama where he repeated the feat as an athlete, becoming state champion in 1958 and the Rio-São Paulo tournament.
He is often confused with two other people who received this nickname: Adhemar de Oliveira, who played for Santos FC during the 40s, and Fernando Ramos Soares, "Seu Gradim", scout who discovered Roberto Dinamite.