The Cougar community officially dedicated Tambur Field on April 27 in between games of a doubleheader with Wilkes University to acknowledge the philanthropy and generosity of Robert L. Tambur, his family and the Tambur Family Foundation.
“The Tambur family has always been generous with both their time and funds to many worthwhile projects and organizations, especially to Misericordia,’’ said president Michael A. MacDowell. “Robert’s son, Bobby Tamburro, serves on Council Misericordia, which is the University’s key outside advisory group. The dedication of Misericordia’s new baseball field in honor of the Tambur family exemplifies their dedication to the greater northeastern Pennsylvania community, to the Back Mountain and to Misericordia University. We are grateful for their support in so many ways.”
Tambur Field is situated on about four acres of land adjacent to the John and Mary Metz Field House in the Anderson Outdoor Athletic Complex near the North Gate of the upper campus. The construction of Tambur Field took 10 months to complete, from the clearing of a wooded area to the final laying of sod. The playing surface contains a special fescue blend. It was purchased from Tuckahoe Turf Farms of Hammonton, N.J., which also installed the turf. Tuckahoe Turf Farms has provided playing surfaces for numerous professional and collegiate ball parks and football fields, including Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Field, Fenway Park, Citibank Park and many other facilities.
Tambur Field’s playing surface was chosen because of its characteristics for athletic play and because it is maintenance friendly. Installed in June 2012, the Cougars baseball team did not play on the surface until the 2013 season to give the sod ample time to root.
The infield dirt is a mixture known as “Custom Martin Infield Mix,’’ which has been used on collegiate fields throughout the northeast. The 15-foot warning track is made of “Red Martin Track Mix.’’ The distance from home plate to the outfield fences ranges from 330 feet down the left and right field lines to 375 feet in right and left field, and 390 feet to straightaway center field.
The $520,000 ball park also features an electronic scoreboard in straightaway left field, an irrigation system, sprinkler systems, individual bullpens for the home and away teams, as well as dugouts for the teams and bleachers for the fans.
Tambur is the chairman and CEO of Tammac Financial Corp., Wilkes-Barre, as well as the president of the Athletic Club, Inc., Wilkes-Barre, and Blue Ridge Golf Club, Mountain Top. An active member of the community, the well-known entrepreneur is a past board member of the F.M. Kirby Center and served the Committee on Economic Growth. Tambur currently serves on the board of Franklin Security Bank, the Tambur Family Foundation and Hospice of the Sacred Heart.
In 2010, the generosity of Tambur and his family was recognized when the family was presented with the Award for Outstanding Philanthropist by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Tambur and the Tambur Family Foundation have also supported other worthy causes throughout the region, including the United Way of Wyoming Valley, Geisinger Health System and Luzerne County Community College.
Tambur is a trustee and general partner with Tammac Financial Corp. Besides his service on Council Misericordia, he is also a board member of the Tambur Foundation, Luzerne County Community College, Penn State Advisory Board and Wyoming Seminary. He is also a former board member of Leadership Wilkes-Barre and the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce.
Tambur and his wife, Virginia, have two children, Mr. Tamburro and Liza, and three grandchildren.