Missouri State baseball's Keith Guttin retires after 42 years: 'I enjoyed every second'

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Standing on the field moments after his season ended, Missouri State head baseball coach Keith Guttin spoke about the Bears' downfalls of the year like he would after any other.

The pitching wasn't what the Bears needed. They made mistakes in the field and couldn't come through with clutch hits. It's why the Bears were two-and-done at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and their season is over.

Guttin then made eye contact with his family.

His daughters, waiting for him outside the playing field, wiped away tears. His wife of 35 years did the same. No matter how much time they had to prepare for the moment after Guttin announced his retirement before the season, a piece of their life ended when the ball hit the Belmont second baseman's glove for the final out.

Guttin's eyes started to water. He turned his back so he couldn't see them.

"I'd be fine if they weren't crying," Guttin said. "I could make it through, but seeing them is going to be hard."

More: What Keith Guttin means to Missouri State baseball and the many lives he's touched

The 12th-winningest head NCAA Division I baseball coach coached his final game on Wednesday afternoon. A beloved southwest Missouri athletics icon heads into retirement after 42 seasons in charge of the maroon and white.

Missouri State didn't provide him with the storybook ending many hoped for. There wasn't enough bullpen help or consistent pitching and the Bears left too many on base at times. But the university, community and athletes still found a way to show how loved and how much he meant to the Ozarks community.

"We had good kids," Guttin said. "They did everything right. They worked hard and they didn't perform. Some of that's on them and some of that's on us. But when you get knocked down, you gotta get back up and I think they will."

Many who walked through the Hammons Field gates this season attempted to make their way near the end of the dugout, where the "G" typically stands, to tell him how much they appreciated him. Others have shared stories about the coach going out of his way to put them in positions to be successful, whether they played for him or not. It's something Guttin's predecessor did before and continues to do now.

More: Keith Guttin: A timeline of the Missouri State baseball coach's career

When Guttin was named Missouri State's second-ever baseball coach in 1982, he embraced a program from Bill Rowe that was in solid shape at Division II College World Series and was transitioning to Division I. The love the two have shared for the program for decades helped turn it into one respected nationally, leading to many successes. Guttin believes that love will continue under his successor, a "Bear," with associate head coach Joey Hawkins expected to be promoted.

"You want somebody that loves the program and we have to continue to get players that love the program," Guttin said. "There's going to be somebody who loves the program as much as Coach Rowe and I did."

Guttin's legacy at Missouri State won't only be the 1,396 wins, 21 conference titles, 12 NCAA Regionals, three NCAA Super Regionals and 2003 College World Series appearances. It will also be for creating a tight-knit brotherhood that spans generations and contains professional athletes, everyday workers, husbands and fathers.

More: 40 years of Keith Guttin — untold tales of the legendary Missouri State baseball coach

His impact was evident during his final game at Hammons Field last week when over 100 former players returned to Springfield to watch him coach one last time. Many brought their families to showcase what Guttin had done for their lives.

"Our philosophy has always been that once you played here, you're still a Bear," Guttin said. "I feel good about that. When your alums stay in touch, that represents something good. It's not all but it's a majority that stay in touch and that's what we want."

The finality of the final out to his final game hadn't quite hit Guttin yet. He said he had been trying to prepare for it mentally since he made the announcement and, immediately after the game, he was doing better than he thought.

More: Missouri State celebrates Keith Guttin and the baseball family he created

Forty-two years saw highs and lows, Guttin said he enjoyed every second and has no regrets. He had chances throughout to take what could have been perceived as bigger jobs, but he opted to spend his coaching days in Springfield. As he's said repeatedly through recent seasons, "If you like where you're living and you like who you're working with, you have to really take a hard look before you go somewhere else."

Guttin's not sure what the coming years hold for him. He hopes to get into part-time work surrounding baseball. Next week, he won't be out recruiting but he said he'll spend more time sleeping. Spending time with his girls is a must.

With his back turned to his family, hoping to avoid seeing their tears, Guttin felt a tug on his leg where he found one of his grandsons. He was asked what he hopes to be his legacy.

Guttin replied, while picking up his grandson — "This. Right here."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Keith Guttin retires as Missouri State baseball coach after 42 years