I watched it myself and thought it wasn't too bad, and they did have those clips from the earlier series during the show (one of which included a shot of the gone-but-unforgettable ABC sportscaster Howard Cossell). However, I found the location of this show special to me in one way.
You may have noticed that the Battle's events were held at a resort in Squaw Valley, California. Most of you will remember that previously-unknown community as the site of the Winter Olympic Games in 1960, but after those games were over, the Worldwide Church of God (which I was a member of from 1975 to 1995) used the Bythe Arena that had been constructed at the site for the Games as a worship meeting facility for their annual fall \"Feast of Tabernacles\" celebration from 1961 through 1977 and again from 1981 to 1982.
It was some arrangement: The Blythe Arena was originally a spectator facility for the skiing events of the 1960 Winter Olympic Games and was completely open at the back, so workers from the church had to come in before their fall festival each year and hang up a big canvas wall at the back in order to fully enclose the facility -- and then had to take it down afterwards! (Those were the days!)
Sadly, in early 1983, the roof caved in on the Blythe Arena during a winter snowstorm in the area, and the site had to be abandoned as a fall festival facility by the Worldwide Church of God organization. (And today, for the record, they no longer celebrate the \"Feast of Tabernacles\" each fall in the way they once did, but that's another story.)
Perhaps someone can fill me in as to whatever became of the old Blythe Arena in Squaw Valley, as I didn't see any sign of it during the area camera shots of the Battle of the Network Stars show.
Michael Brandenburg
(But I still celebrate the \"Feast of Tabernacles\" each year with those of my present church, and this year, I'm going to Texas for it -- it's a whole 'nother country!)
