The farewell tour that Keith Guttin didn't ask for will end this weekend when he says "goodbye" to the place he's called home over the last 42 seasons.
Guttin and Missouri State announced the 2024 season would be the legendary Missouri State baseball coach's last hoping it would help recruits to know that a succession plan was in place. He got more than he hoped for as he was honored at many away venues.
That includes at Arkansas, where he led the Bears to an NCAA Regional title in 2017, and received an umbrella calling back to the infamous "Rain Game" played in that same regional. He was also given three fishing poles though he isn't a fisherman. Oklahoma State gave him cowboy boots that gave him blisters, a hat from Louisiana Monroe he plans to wear this summer and a cowboy hat from Southern Miss.
A celebratory weekend in his honor will serve as his final gift when he leads the Bears in the Hammons Field dugout one last time.
As he's started to reflect on his time as head coach, he's still focused, in typical Guttin fashion, on the game ahead.
"We have three games to play this weekend," Guttin said. "Then we have the conference tournament. As I've told the team before, somewhere in this country, a six, seven or eight seed is going to win their conference tournament. It might as well be us. Let's write our own story."
Missouri State (21-31, 9-15) clinched a spot in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with its win at Belmont on Sunday afternoon. It defeated Oral Roberts on Tuesday night and will host Southern Illinois in three straight 11 a.m. games starting on Thursday weather permitting.
Missouri State said it will have plenty of surprises for Saturday's game, which it's dubbed "Keith Guttin Day." A school spokesperson said there will be plenty of surprises before and throughout the contest with special festivities beginning around 10:15 a.m. Many Missouri State baseball alumni are expected to be in attendance.
It promises to add to the memorable games that came to Guttin's mind over the 42 seasons, whether it be back in 1984 when the Bears won four seven-inning games in one day to win the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title, the aforementioned "Rain Game," the flooding of the dugout at the 2018 Oxford Regional or any of the 21 conference championship victories, 12 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, three Super Regional trips and the 2003 College World Series.
Still, Guttin brushed off the idea that he'll be impacted by the final out of the final regular season game. He said he hasn't given his decision any second thoughts and he won't head into retirement with any regrets.
"Well we're playing Tuesday," Guttin said. "That's what I'm thinking about after Saturday. Who do we have left in the bullpen and where do we go with pitching?"
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