pre-'70 MNF 1968, GB 28 Dallas 17

[74_75_78_79_]

Nice, new thread on some site I just came across. What network aired this game? I know NBC did AFL games that year but was that also the case with this one? Not exactly the same, but a sort-of opposite precursor to the GB/Dal MNF in '96. The now-better team still losing to the team that very recently got the best of them. Steelers beating Dallas at Dallas in '82 opener another, sort-of, example.

http://boards.philadelphiaeagles.com/to ... f-dynasty/

[Retro Rider]

From what I've read, the game was televised on CBS. The network aired 6 Monday night games over a 4 year period (1966-1969):

10/31/66: St. Louis Cardinals 24 Chicago Bears 17
10/30/67: Green Bay Packers 31, St. Louis Cardinals 23
9/9/68: Kansas City Chiefs 26, Houston Oilers 21 (AFL) - NBC
9/16/68: Los Angeles Rams 24, St. Louis Cardinals 13
10/28/68: Green Bay Packers 28, Dallas Cowboys 17
10/13/69: Baltimore Colts 24, Philadelphia Eagles 20
10/20/69: New York Jets 26, Houston Oilers 17 (AFL) - NBC
10/27/69: Dallas Cowboys 25, New York Giants 3

Tough to find highlights of the '68 Packers @ Cowboys game. Since it was a Monday night game, NFL Films did not include it in their week 7 recap show (This Week in the NFL). There are some clips of it in the '68 Packers highlight film and in the 1969 film, Big Game America.

[BD Sullivan]

The 10/13 and 10/20 games in 1969 were not televised, but were rescheduled because the two teams that year, the Orioles and Mets, were in the World Series. Game Two was on 10/12 in Baltimore, and while the Series ended in five games on 10/16, the 10/20 game was the Jets' home opener.

That meant a few more fixups were needed, and the late home debut was due to their horrible Shea Stadium release. Of course, it didn't help that the fans ripped up the infield when the Mets won.

All of the others not noted were on CBS and started at 9:30 ET, since the network wanted to keep as much of their regular lineup on as possible.

The 9/9/68 NBC game started at 8:30 and caused a minor furor between the network and Johnny Carson. That's because Carson didn't want his show going on so late, so he first refused to do it. The network eventually just decided to show a rerun, but within three years, Carson would no longer do ANY Monday shows for the final 21 years he hosted the show

[Retro Rider]

The 10/13 and 10/20 games in 1969 were not televised, but were rescheduled because the two teams that year, the Orioles and Mets, were in the World Series. Game Two was on 10/12 in Baltimore, and while the Series ended in five games on 10/16, the 10/20 game was the Jets' home opener.

That meant a few more fixups were needed, and the late home debut was due to their horrible Shea Stadium release. Of course, it didn't help that the fans ripped up the infield when the Mets won.

All of the others not noted were on CBS and started at 9:30 ET, since the network wanted to keep as much of their regular lineup on as possible.

The 9/9/68 NBC game started at 8:30 and caused a minor furor between the network and Johnny Carson. That's because Carson didn't want his show going on so late, so he first refused to do it. The network eventually just decided to show a rerun, but within three years, Carson would no longer do ANY Monday shows for the final 21 years he hosted the show

Thanks BD for clarifying that. The '69 Jets regular season schedule was unique to say the least.

[John Grasso]

Of course, it didn't help that the fans ripped up the infield when the Mets won.

I still have a piece of that turf.

[Mark L. Ford]

One interesting item of trivia from the 1966 game is that Frank Gifford was one of the three original commentators for CBS (along with Lindsey Nelson and Jack Drees). As a result, Gifford was actually calling NFL television on Monday night before Keith Jackson, Howard Cosell and Dandy Don Meredith, even though he didn't become part of the MNF on ABC trio until its second season.

[Todd Pence]

Interesting that the city of St. Louis hosted the first three games. Did they make some deal with the league, or were they more amenable to the monday night experiment