“Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports…the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

That was the famous catch phrase we knew as kids growing up. It was the one of those phrases we were anxious to use on the playground when we won or when we saw someone lose.

It came from the show “ABC Wide World of Sports,” that was a staple of Saturday afternoons from 1961 through the better part of its final year in 1998. The show was our precursor to watch international events before ESPN and the internet.

This latest installment of my look back at YESTERDAY -- a trip back in time to the late 1960s’, 70s’ and sometimes dipping into the early 80s’ -- is a recollection of memorable sports shows and some other items.

“ABC’s Wide World of Sports” reached its pinnacle in the late 1960s and most of the 1970s when longtime host Jim McKay brought us live events from boxing, skiing, figure skating, surfing, powerlifting ... and remember cliff diving from Mexico? Its opening clips tended to keep you spellbound, watching the triumphs and the crashes (Recall the skiing and auto crashes?). The driving background was perfect, and you can still hear it in your head.

The program also set the groundwork for Indy car and NASCAR racing, showing a number of races and opening the door to their lucrative market.

It was the climax of the week before either football or basketball on a Sunday. The program initially was broadcast from 5-7 p.m. but it eventually went back to 4:30-6 p.m.

ABC certainly did fulfill its promise in its opening with the momentous phrase, as it was the key to events beyond sports’ big four. As a preteen or teenager, you felt compelled to watch it, and were rarely disappointed.

The show eventually succumbed to ESPN and other cable outlets in the late 198os, but it did manage to stay afloat until 1998.

ABC continued its surge after football with “Superstars” in the winter of 1973. The program was televised on Sunday afternoons, and featured 10 star athletes who competed in events other than their own. In the early going of the show, boxer Joe Frazier competed in swimming. Athletes would compete in events such as swimming, track, volleyball, bowling, kayaking and others.

The show also featured a cavalcade of stars from the 1970s and 80s who competed in an obstacle course. O.J Simpson, Dan Marino, Dick Anderson, John Havlicek, Jim McMillian, Yvan Cournoyer, and Reggie Jackson to name a few.

Again, this was ahead of its time and gave us a preview of the overflow of sports ahead. It also was a reality show trendsetter.

From their success, ABC was able to spin off, “The American Sportsman’ in 1965 and Curt Gowdy became its most recognizable host.

The show had a number of TV stars and some athletes who would typically be on a hunting or fishing expedition. Stars included Andy Griffith, Redd Foxx, Burt Reynolds, Bing Crosby and others that helped pace the show until 1986.

Along with “Wide World of Sports,” CBS actually debuted this type of show with its “Sports Spectacular,” which also aired on Saturday afternoons beginning in 1960.

Hosted by Jack Whitaker and Bud Palmer, the show had a national and international flavor, featuring tennis, golf, Grand Prix, horse racing, and snowboarding to mention some of them.

The show had a similar shelf life as “Wide World of Sports” as it changed names until its final broadcast in 1996. The group ELO’s instrumental “Fire on High” gave the show an identity in the late 1970s. You’ll know the song if you hear it, and it should joggle some memories.

Another Enberg Classic: In 1971, iconic play-by-play man Dick Enberg hosted “Sports Challenge,” a sports trivia TV show that featured three members of championship teams playing against each other.

The teams ranged from the Yankees’ great back from the 1950s to the Dolphins’ undefeated 1972 team. Enberg kept the rounds flowing until the final round when both teams had to guess the identity of the “mystery guest,” whose darkened shadow had a large white question mark over him or her ... a classic touch.

This was another Saturday afternoon keeper – usually around 1 p.m. – and it lasted in syndication until 1979. Legendary announcer Johnny Gilbert did the voiceover.

This Roof Wasn’t on Fire: March 1 is a significant day in sports history. High winds caused a 50-by-150-foot portion of its new roof to blow off during an Ice Capades (remember them?) performance.

The situation was fixed, but it occurred two weeks later. The new Spectrum closed for a month, and the Flyers were forced to play their next seven games on the road.

Sharing a Laugh: “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” broke the barriers of conventional television with its adult-based humor and content. Most of us at the age of 8 to 10 would have to sneak away to watch it.

Goldy Hawn became a celebrity with her scantily clad outfits, and Art Johnson in his German soldier uniform coined the phrase, “Very Interesting ... But Stupid!” There was the “Sock It To Me” wall where celebrities would open a door and deliver a comment.

Looking back, it was another trailblazer.

Big Mac, A Snack, and Sweet and Sour: In 1968, McDonald’s unveiled its Big Mac, which sold for 45 cents. Pittsburgh was the first testing ground for the burger. However, the jingle of “two all-beef patties, special sauce ... originated a few years later.

It’s easy to open a Hunt’s Snack Pack today, but back in 1968, the snack emerged in round metal cans that had a “child-safe lid.”

McDonald’s also established its Apple Pie in 1968, and it was the first dessert item on their menu.

Before there were Warheads, Zotz was a success as a sour candy.

Your Set of Wheels: “Hot Wheels” hit the market in 1968, and the miniature car sold over one billion. Those plastic, orange tracks were considered “neat” back in the day.

The Corgi metal cars also captured our interests. Corgi became popular for their crime fighter cars, which featured the Batmobile, James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 and the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty.