A new American Basketball Association team making Worcester its home beginning this year will be named both after the city and one of its own.
Following a community vote, the team will be known as the Worcester Majors, named for the city’s Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor, a record-setting African American cyclist who rose to fame at the turn of the 20th century.
“It’s very exciting to finally have a name, but more exciting that the community of Worcester selected the name,” said A.J. “Beast” Stephens, co-founder of Framingham nonprofit Beast ‘Em Basketball Training Academy, which owns the new team. “It’s great to get the community involved and we look forward to establishing many community based initiatives and programs.”
The team, which will hold practices at St. Bernard Church in Worcester, has scheduled tryouts for next winter’s season, which is set to begin in November. Tryouts will be held at the church at 10 a.m on Feb. 20 . Those interested in participating must register in advance online, at www.beastembasketball.com.
