er ▁George ▁D ixon . ▁ ▁The ▁Cent rum ▁( now ▁DC U ▁Center ) ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁Virginia ▁S lim s ▁of ▁New ▁England ▁women ' s ▁tennis ▁tournament ▁for ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁Mart ina ▁Nav rat il ova , ▁Chris ▁E vert , ▁and ▁Ste ff i ▁Graf ▁were ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁out standing ▁players ▁who ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁tournament s . ▁Vari ous ▁box ing ▁title ▁b outs ▁have ▁been ▁fought ▁in ▁Wor c ester . ▁The ▁NCAA ▁National ▁Division ▁I ▁hockey ▁and ▁Division ▁I ▁basketball ▁early ▁r ounds ▁have ▁been ▁cont ested ▁here . ▁Charlie ' s ▁Sur plus ▁Road ▁Race ▁field ed ▁many ▁world - class ▁run ners ▁before ▁ending ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁Cand le pin ▁bow ling ▁was ▁invent ed ▁in ▁Wor c ester ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁by ▁Justin ▁White , ▁an ▁area ▁bow ling ▁al ley ▁owner . ▁ ▁Colleg iate ▁sports ▁▁ ▁Wor c ester ' s ▁colleg es ▁have ▁had ▁long ▁histor ies ▁and ▁many ▁notable ▁achiev ements ▁in ▁colleg iate ▁sports : ▁ ▁The ▁Holy ▁Cross ▁Cr us aders , ▁led ▁by ▁future ▁basketball ▁hall - of - f am ers ▁Bob ▁C ous y ▁and ▁Tom ▁Hein so hn , ▁were ▁NCAA ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁champions ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁N IT ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁champions ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁Holy