“It’s a great city, a lot like Louisville, both river cities, just about twice the size.” Pine said.
Pine noted that St. Louis is a big sports town, and he still follows the professional St. Louis sports teams, especially the hockey team, the Blues.
Growing up as a boy, Pine dreamed of becoming an architect, as he was a gifted drawer.
“I loved to draw,” said Pine, “and I was fairly artistic, probably because I am left-handed.”
In fact, Pine drew so well that he won a contest with a St. Louis television station, KSDK. His picture, of a tornado, won him the chance to appear live with weatherman, John Fuller, on the noon news.
“When I learned that I had to appear live in front of my entire school, I cried the whole night before,” said Pine. Pine’s fear of public speaking would follow him for some time.
Pine decided to attend college at Ball State University, in Muncie, Ind.
It was not until Pine’s junior year that he made a crucial decision: he opted for the double major of broadcast journalism and meteorology. What had started as a vague calling in high school, had finally come to fruition his junior year. The double major required a fifth year of study, and Pine graduated in 2003.
Pine made another major decision in college his sophomore year: he started dating Sarah, his future wife. Today, the Pines have been married for eight years. They have two children, Hannah, 5, and son Brady, 3. Ironically, Ben and Sarah knew each other all of their lives, but did not start dating until Sarah’s freshman year at Ball State.
