Legendary Louisville Slugger tour guide hangs up the mini bat

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For almost two decades he's been entertaining baseball fans with his knowledge, stats, love of the game and even a joke or two. But on Wednesday, one of the city's most beloved tour guides hung up his microphone.

When Bob Fortunato interviewed for his job as a tour guide when the Slugger Museum opened in 1996, he told HR they didn't even have to pay him just wait and see if they liked him. He couldn't imagine getting to talk baseball and get paid for it.

The gig turned into a two decade stint giving seven tours a day. He's probably handed out about a million of those iconic miniature bats.

“My whole family grew up around Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Connie Mack Stadium,” Fortunato said. “My Dad delivered milk in the morning and in the afternoons he'd work at the ballpark selling hot dogs.”

“Sometimes he'd get called down [to the] Philadelphia A's, [where] he's throwing warm up balls with Jimmie Foxx, Mule Haas,” he adds.

He says he loves the game of baseball so much because it reminds him of his Dad. He says his favorite position is second base and his favorite team is the Phillies.

He knows the game so well from the past and present he could chat with just about any fan from any city.

“If you're from Minnesota, we know how to talk about Harmon Killebrew or today's players,” Fortunato explains.

Through his job he's shared a handshake with Hank Aaron and Ernie Banks, but that's not what he'll miss the most about the job.

He'll actually miss the handshakes with the regular Joes.

“Either way, I miss talking to people,” he says. “Even if I'm on a break or something, I find myself out there talking to people in the hallway.”

Wednesday was his last tour at the bat factory, and it may be the bottom of the 9th inning but for Bob Fortunato it's been a game of a lifetime.

“It's a great game, and I've had a great time with it and I couldn't ask for anything more. I want to quit while I'm on top.”