Battle of the Network Stars
When I was a kid in the 1970s, there were only 3 major TV stations: ABC, NBC, and CBS. During the day, there were only soap operas on (which didn’t appeal to a young kid), and at night, sometimes, there were no shows that I was interested in. There wasn’t the plethora of channels and choices that are available today.
The best shows were on Friday night through Saturday night. Some of my favorites were The Dukes of Hazzard, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, CHiPS, BJ, and the Bear, plus a variety of sitcoms. Saturday mornings were also a treat. The best cartoons were only available on Saturday mornings – Looney Tunes! I loved them.
Every once in a while, a special TV show would be promoted, and we looked forward to those nights. They became a special event. One of those specials was Battle of the Network Stars.
Battle of the Network Stars was a series of competitions where television stars from ABC, CBS, and NBC competed in various sporting events. A total of 19 of these competitions were held between 1976 and 1988.
Regular events included swimming, kayaking, volleyball, golf, tennis, bowling (on custom-made outdoor lanes), cycling, 3-on-3 football, the baseball dunk, running, and the obstacle course. Also featured as a regular event was a game of “Simon Says”. After the regular events were over, the lowest-scoring network was eliminated from further competition and the two remaining networks determined the day’s winner with a tug of war.
I enjoyed watching my favorite TV stars outside of their regular characters and seeing people perform in athletic events when they weren’t professional athletes. It made them seem like “normal” people.
Watching Battle of the Network Stars was like seeing your favorite TV characters step out of the screen and into a whole new world of fun and competition. It reminded us that even the most glamorous stars weren’t immune to a little sweaty, silly rivalry. In a time of limited TV options, these events were a special treat—one that made those simple weekends feel a lot more exciting and connected, even if the only “network” we were really cheering for was the one with the best tug-of-war team.
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