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Benjamin "Ben" Maller is an American sports radio host for Fox Sports Radio, currently hosting The Third Shift on weekend nights.
[edit] Career history
Maller has hosted shows with Terry Bradshaw, Jim Lampley, Tony Bruno, Jim Mora, Chris Myers, Dale Brown, James Washington, Tommy Lasorda, Ross Porter, Kevin Kennedy and many other sports stars.Maller joined Fox Sports Radio for the launch of the network in August 2000 as an update anchor/ weekend morning co-host. Some of his career highlights include being a reporter for XTRA Sports 690am in San Diego in the mid-1990s and co-hosting the Ben & Dave Show on XTRA Sports 1150 in LA (late-1990s) and the host of Dodger Talk in 1999 and 2000. In 2006, Ben signed a contract to be the "sports gossip guy," for FoxSports.com, providing daily sports rumors and notes to millions of fans each week. Ben Maller is also one of the only radio show host that allows kids on the air.
[edit] Notable Ben-isms
- "How Dare you!"
- "I guarantee."
- "Curse of the Benbino."
- "Look at you!"
- "Who do you think you are?"
[edit] Trivia
- Big Ben read the starting lineup of the visiting Padres at Dodger Stadium before a Dodgers game with San Diego in 1999, when PA announcer Mike Carlucci was stuck in traffic.
- Maller was the first local Los Angeles sports radio host to interview Mike Piazza after his trade from the Dodgers on May 15, 1998.
- Maller has appeared in over 30 episodes of the "Sports List" on Fox Sports Net.
- Ben has been on the air at FSR during every Super Bowl since 2001.
- Big Ben grew up in southern California listening to Hall of Famer Vin Scully broadcast Dodgers games on the radio and then briefly worked at the same station with Scully.
- One of Ben's radio role models growing up in the LA area was legendary sportscaster Jim Healy.
- As of July 2006, Maller was on of the Top Hundred story submitters on FARK.com.
- Ben's former weekend co-host at FSR Jason Smith now hosts a show at rival ESPN Radio
- Maller's sidekick on the famous "Ben & Dave show," Dave Smith is now a host at rival Sporting News Radio
- Big Ben worked with Patrick O'Neal who is now a popular anchor on FSN West
- Ben briefly hosted a show with former MSG Network personality Bob Page
- Maller hosted a show during the 2004 and 2005 NCAA Tournament's with Shaquille O'Neal's college coach at LSU Dale Brown (basketball).
- Ben can't stand valet parking.
- Big Ben is known around Los Angeles for his self-admitted reputation of being a tightwad when it comes to money.
- March 26, 2005: Maller guaranteed that Arizona would beat Illinois when they had a 15 point lead with four minutes left in an NCAA Tournament game. Ben said he would walk to Tucson barefoot if the Wildcats blew the lead. Illinois won 90-89 in overtime.
- Ben has been on the air for every holiday since he started at Fox Sports Radio
- Big Ben lost a big bet when the Tennessee Titans pulled off the Music City Miracle on January 8, 2000. Buffalo had a 16-15 lead with 16 seconds left when Frank Wycheck completed what Ben has said was an illegal forward pass to Kevin Dyson who scored the winning touchdown.
- In 2006, Maller won a World Cup pool by picking Italy
- Big Ben has a weekly radio game show (TWIST: this week in sports trivia) that is one of his most popular segments.
- An Italian Restaurant in Lancaster, CA named a calzone after Ben (the "Ben Malzone").
- As of December 2006, Maller was on of the Top Hundred story submitters on FARK.com.
- Big Ben also has a "intense" rivalary with "the coin" whom Ben faces off against when picking football games during the season
[edit] External links
