10 of Art Hains' favorite memories as a play-by-play voice as he prepares for retirement

Longtime Missouri State play-by-play voice Art Hains will retire after calling the Bears' home opener against SMU, his alma mater, during the 2025 season.

Outside of a four-year hiatus and one season he fought the West Nile virus, Hains has been on the call for all of Missouri State football, men's basketball and baseball's greatest moments since 1977.

Here are 10 of his favorite moments as "The Voice of the Bears."

Winston Garland 'single-handily' beat BYU in 1987 for Missouri State's first 'signature moment' as a Division I school

On Jan. 6, 1987, Winston Garland, considered the greatest player in Missouri State men's basketball history, scored 25 points in the Bears' win over Brigham Young. Garland made a 3-pointer at the regulation horn to force overtime. Down one in the extra period, Garland drove to the basket and knocked down a game-winner as time expired.

"Winston Garland single-handily beat BYU out there," Hains said. "That was really our first signature win as a Division I school. The year before, we beat Pittsburgh and Marquette in the NIT and those were very memorable times. But then Winston beat BYU and then we went on (to the NCAA Tournament) to play Clemson and Kansas and earned our first NCAA win."

More: All of our 2024 Missouri State, high school football preseason coverage in one place

Missouri State football's Chris Potthast makes game-winning field goal in 1989 FCS Playoff win over Maine

Missouri State's only FCS postseason victory in program history was a classic. Quarterback DeAndre Smith, considered by many as the greatest football player in the school's history, left the game injured pushing Paul Carney into action. He ran for two second-half touchdowns before Maine tied the game late. From 33 yards out with minimal time remaining, birthday boy kicker Chris Potthast booted in a game-winner to give the Bears a 38-35 victory.

"From 33 yards out, probably for the win... snapped back, ball down, the kick is up, it's low... but it's good! It's good! It's good! IT'S GOOD! The Bears storm Chris Potthast! Happy birthday, Chris!"

Art Hains' nose fell off while calling a high school football game

In 1996, Hains had squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal septum, a form of cancer. It didn't require radiation or chemo but he had to undergo reconstructive surgery on his nose. He only missed three Missouri State games.

When calling a high school football game in Neosho, the prosthetic septum that held up the skin of his nose fell out in the press box. He searched the floor of the press box for his nose while his headset was on and he tried to keep the game going.

Missouri State basketball's Sweet 16 run under Steve Alford was unforgettable

Multiple moments during the Bears' run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 1999 come to Hains' mind. William Fontleroy's dunk over Albert White in MSU's win over Mizzou during the second game of the season was a highlight. So was seeing the Bears beat Wisconsin and Tennessee in March en route to a loss to a Sweet 16 loss to Duke in New York.

"The day before the (Duke) game, I remember walking around Manhattan and seeing other people with Missouri State gear on," Hains said. "Some of them got on the Today Show. Marty Prather was able to get on with his signs. Those were tremendous memories."

More: Inside the fight to keep Art Hains, beloved voice of the Missouri State Bears, alive

Missouri State baseball's College World Series run in 2003 was full of moments

There was no shortage of drama for the baseball Bears during their 2003 run to the College World Series. First, they didn't even think they would get in before their name was called. It was followed by a magical run through the Lincoln Regional before knocking out Ohio State in the Super Regionals.

"Bob Zimmerman throws that complete game shutout in the championship against Nebraska," Hains said. "Then you get Tony Piazza hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning at Ohio State. Then it's the celebration into the night where we go to the venerable Varsity Club in Columbus on campus that's about to close at 10:30 p.m. and we show up there with about 50 people. Sure enough, Keith Guttin was there and I think he even had a beer which is very unusual."

Year of the Snake: In 2003, SMS didn’t think it was going to make the NCAA Tournament

Cuonzo Martin leads Missouri State basketball to Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship in 2011

Hains said his greatest memory as the Bears' play-by-play voice was the Bears' win over Wichita State to conclude the 2010-11 men's basketball regular season. The arena was sold out and ESPN was there to witness Cuonzo Martin's Bears defeat the Shockers 69-64 as MSU claimed its first Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship.

"For the first time ever, the Bears can say they're Missouri Valley Conference champs and the students storm the floor!"

Jeremy Eierman hits walk-off home run to kick-start Missouri State baseball's NCAA Regional title at Arkansas

Down one with two outs and one runner on against Oklahoma State in the bottom of the ninth, Jeremy Eierman launched a two-run walk-off home run over the Baum Stadium right-field wall in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to begin the 2017 NCAA Tournament Regional. The Bears followed by winning the regional, a day after the infamous "rain game" loss to Arkansas, by beating the Razorbacks on their home field to advance to the Super Regionals.

"I didn't think it was going to be a home run," Hains said. "I just thought it was a long fly ball to right and kept going and going and going and it's gone. Then we go on to win the regional after the monsoon game the night before that they made us play through and then we come back and beat Arkansas the next day and shut them up."

Jarred Dixon's half-court shot to beat Illinois State was one of Art Hains' favorite calls

Illinois State inbounded the ball while up two with 7.8 seconds left during a 2019 regular season game. An errant throw caused a mad scramble around midcourt. Jarred Dixon found the loose ball and threw it up at the buzzer with the ball banking in for a thrilling victory.

"He inbounds. Stolen! Stolen by Cook! And the ball is loose. It's still loose and the clock is running! And there is a big scrum! And Jarred Dixon from half-court... MADE IT! HE MADE IT AND THE BEARS WIN! HE MADE THE SHOT FROM HALF-COURT AND THE BEARS BEAT ILLINOIS STATE AND THERE IS A DOGPILE ON THE COURT AT JQH! UNBELIEVABLE!"

"The miracle shot made ESPN's No. 1 play of the year in college basketball," Hains said. "You need to have control of your own voice and I didn't that time. I got a little carried away."

Bobby Petrino leads Missouri State football back to relevancy

Hain was on the call for both of Missouri State football's playoff appearances under Bobby Petrino. The Bears' win over Youngstown State to win a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and thrilling comebacks during the fall 2021 season were ones Hains cherishes. His favorite moment came during the 2021 spring season when the Bears won 13-6 at Northern Iowa, a place MSU hadn't won since 1998.

"That was a big one," Hains said. "We went out with dinner with (former MSU head coach) Terry Allen and his family the night before. He was helping their coaching staff that year. He came over and patted me on the shoulder after the game ended. We beat them. That was a huge win."

Art Hains' first game back in the booth after beating West Nile virus

Early in the 2022 Missouri State football season, Hains was diagnosed with West Nile virus which put him in a coma and had him battling for his life. Despite the odds, Hains fought back and returned to the booth for the Bears' football home opener in 2023 against Utah Tech. With no use of his legs, Missouri State built a ramp in his booth so he could see the field from his motorized wheelchair. Hains called home football, men's basketball and baseball games in 2023-24, along with an appearance at Arch Madness.

"That was very special," Hains said. "We had gone up to the press box three or four times in the days preceding once they got the platform right. My wife was up there with me and the first time she saw me in the booth, she got emotional. I had a pre-scripted thing to say thanking everyone for their prayers, love and support and then it was time to move on to the game."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Art Hains retirement: Favorite memories, games, calls as broadcaster