It happens every late spring.
The Carpenter Cup Classic begins and those with an affinity for Public League baseball find themselves wondering, "Will this be the year?"
We'll find out today, troops.
The Triple C, which now includes 16 squads of all-star teams representing leagues or areas, began in 1986. The Pub owns just one win, and it came in 1990. A year ago, the result was a 4-3 loss to Mercer County (N.J.), with a pair of brutally bad calls playing a role, and that was just the second time the Pub had lost by as a little as one run.
Today, in the final game (4 o'clock) of a first-round tripleheader at Penn's Meiklejohn Stadium, the PL will play Jersey Shore.
The other two squads with city-leagues ties will swing into action tomorrow (4 p.m., Catholic League vs. Chester County) and Wednesday (12:30 p.m., Inter-Ac/Independents vs. Lehigh Valley).
A major rule change has affected the I-A/I squad, as seniors who signed baseball Division I letters of intent prior to March 1 are ineligible. About 10 players are thus unavailable.
- Ted Silary
CARPENTER CUP
Single elimination
At University of Penn/Meiklejohn Stadium
Today
1: Oly. Colonial vs SOL Am. & Continental, 9 a.m.
2: Tri-Cape vs Delaware North, 12:30
3: Public League vs Jersey Shore, 4
Tomorrow
4: Burlington County vs Delaware County, 9 a.m.
5: Mercer County vs Delaware South, 12:30
6: Chester County vs Catholic League, 4
Wednesday
7: SOL National/Bicent. vs Berks County, 9 a.m.
8: Lehigh Valley vs Inter-AC/Independents, 12:30
Thursday
9: Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner, 9 a.m.
10: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner, 12:30
Friday
11: Game 5 winner vs Game 6 winner, 9 a.m.
12: Game 7 winner vs Game 8 winner, 12:30
Saturday
Rain Date
At Citizens Bank Park
Tuesday, June 23
13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 10 a.m.
14: Game 11 winner vs Game 12 winner, 2
Wednesday, June 24
15: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 10 a.m.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2008: SOL National/Bicentennial
2007: Chester County
2006: Burlington County
2005: Catholic League
2004: Mercer County
2003: Chester County
2002: Jersey Shore
2001: Lehigh Valley
2000: Delaware South
1999: Suburban National
1998: Lehigh Valley
1997: Olympic Colonial
1996: Chester
1995: Olympic Colonial
1994: Ocean Monmouth County
1993: Suburban National
1992: Olympic Colonial
1991: Olympic Colonial
1990: Catholic League
1989: South Jersey C
1988: Suburban National
1987: Catholic League
1986: Delaware