Over the years, early July hasn’t always yielded the most profound of professional sports memories.

Yet, there are a few memorable ones surrounding the Fourth of July holiday, as well as memories of our childhood generated by the holiday. When we were younger, the Fourth of July always seemed like a big event with the fireworks and the cookouts. We didn’t grill back then as frequently as we do today.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column - a trip back in time to the late 1960s, the 1970s, and the early 1980s – I will focus on some holiday moments that if we don’t fully remember, we can at least partially recall.

Check Your Watch ... It was July 2, 1993 during their magical season, and the Phillies had one of their 5:35 p.m. doubleheaders, this time with the San Diego Padres. No one figured it would end nearly 24 hours later - and I was there.

Rain delayed the first game nearly six hours and it concluded at 1:03 a.m. After a 30-minute break, the umpiring crew decided to institute a first, beginning the game at 1:30 a.m. The second game went 10 innings and over three hours, finally ending at 4:41 in the morning when reliever Mitch Williams knocked in the winning run. The Phillies also opened their gates for free admission in the second game.

Those who are die-hard Phillies fans likely have at least some vague memories of that one. I was younger then and didn’t mind being at the Vet for over 24 hours.

What Size Do You Take ... In terms of the holiday, how many still have a Phillies Bicentennial hat?

They were the hats with the rounded stripes around the centered Phillies’ logo, and the hat tended to be more squared than usual. It was part of baseball’s contribution to the event, and every team had their version. The hat had an odd look for the Phillies, but the Pirates’ version was one of the more favorable ones.

The Reading Phillies even got into the act with their old “R” logo and the stripes.

Mets Marathon ... The Phillies weren’t the only team to play until the wee hours of the morning. The Mets were involved in a memorable July 4 game in 1985. It was an eight-hour, 15-minute, 19-inning classic filled with rain delays that ended in a 16-13 Mets win at 3:53 a.m. the next morning.

The game was billed as the “Rick Camp” game, as the reliever hit a homer to tie the game in the bottom of the 18th. Keith Hernandez hit for the cycle.

Name That Tune ... As part of the Phillies’ rise in the mid to late 70’s, does the term “Phillies Fever” sound familiar? Well, Larry Bowa, Dave Cash, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox, and Mike Schmidt collaborated on a vinyl single with that name in 1976.

Part of the format was fashioned after the then popular CB craze with Bowa and Cash, but the quintet also belted out a three-minute tune based on their success. Schmidt can be seen on the cover playing an air guitar with his bat. It was a gimmick, and is truly a collector’s item for the rabid fan.

That Famous Grand Slam ... Another Phillies’ tie with July 4 involved colorful catcher Tim McCarver. In 1976 in the first game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh, McCarver appeared to hit a grand slam in top of the second inning that gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead.

However, McCarver passed Maddox on the base paths between first and second, was called out, and awarded the game’s first grand-slam single. As a teen, one doesn’t realize the real significance of it. In his true, witty style, McCarver stated that Maddox lapped me.”The Phillies went on to win the game, 10-5.

The Former Big Bang Theory ... Sparklers were a mainstay for the holiday and also for the days after, especially if the weekend was ahead. There was something special about watching the short-lived flash and hearing the sizzle.

One of the other major and possible forgotten toys of the holiday was the “Big Bang” Conestoga cast-iron cannon. They were usually green or white in color and had a long spout. There was a tube that would be loaded, and the cannon would be fired from the rear.

They were relatively heavy, and could easily burn a finger. How many of us had one?

Remember the black snakes that would evaporate and then left off bang? There also was the firework that looked like a popsicle stick where one could pull on the end at which time confetti would fly out the other side.

They were simple, but fun.

Fly Like An Eagle ... In August 1976, the Steve Miller Band released “Fly Like an Eagle,” which was a song about individual freedom in the bicentennial year, but the Eagles also used it to market the team.

I remember some of the Eagles’ videos and the pregame shows on Channel 10. There was one particular video that had the song as its backdrop.

By the way, the ‘76 season was the first under a rather unknown college coach from UCLA named Dick Vermeil. The Eagles came off a 4-10 mark under former head coach Mike McCormick, and would produce the same record under Vermeil in his initial year, before turning things around under the emotional coach.

One Familiar Space ... Within the past two weeks, actress June Lockhart celebrated her 97th birthday. To most of us, Lockhart will be remembered as Maureen Robinson, the mother on the legendary 60’s show, “Lost in Space,” that ran from 1965-68. Probably the most memorable character on the show was the robot with his familiar saying, “Danger, Will Robinson!” I was never a devoted fan, but the show had neat cliffhangers and colorful and creative monsters.

In the Backyard ... In the 70’s and early 1980’s, some of us played with lawn darts and croquet sets.

Lawn darts were probably more popular than croquet, and both of them usually surfaced at family picnics. Both were considered to be state-of-the-art games at the time.

I went to a family wedding recently and had the opportunity to play with bean bags. This was the outdoor game with pellet-filled small bags to be thrown through a small hole of a board probably 20 feet away. There was a similar indoor version of the game called “Toss Across.” Both evolved during the 70s.

Do You Remember? ... Every week, I’ll mention a likely forgotten player or manager from yesterday… Who remembers Phillie Ron Reed?

The Phillies acquired Reed from the Cardinals for outfielder Mike Anderson in December 1975. Reed was an integral part of the pitching staff as a long reliever and spot starter. The Phillies traded him to the Chicago White Sox in December 1983 for Jerry Koosman.

Unbeknown to many, the 6-foot-6 Reed was a standout basketball player at Notre Dame, where he set the single-season rebound per game average at 17.7. He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, and played two seasons, averaging 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 1965-66 and in ‘66-67.