It was a memorable Christmas night in 1971.

One of the football games I’ll never forget occurred on that evening between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins.

Unbeknownst to me being 11 at the time, I was watching the longest pro football game in the history of the game on my small, portable black-and-white TV complete with the long, silver antenna and a nearby pair of “rabbit ears” just in case.

The game had a 4 p.m. kickoff and lasted 82 minutes and 40 seconds in game time. In real time, it was over seven hours long. Yes, that’s not a typo.

This latest installment of my look back at YESTERDAY - a trip back in time to the late 1960s. 1970s and sometimes dipping into the early 1980s - is a recollection of some of the more memorable Christmas day games and some pop culture events and items.

Garo Yepremian won the game I mentioned above with a 37-yard field goal in the second overtime. The game was played in Kansas City, on an usually, mild 62-degree day. Yepremian earlier missed a 52-yard attempt.

Ironically, Kansas City’s reliable kicker Jan Stenerud missed a 31-yard field goal with 35 seconds left in regulation, and then had a 42-yard attempt blocked in the first overtime.

That was one of the best Christmas gifts ever ... watching football on Christmas night and staying up to almost midnight.

Ed Podolak - one of the league’s underrated running backs - earned his meager paycheck as opposed to today’s standards, as he accounted for 350 all-purpose yards – still a league record for a playoff game – with 110 rushing, 85 receiving, and 155 return yards. On top of that, he scored two rushing touchdowns.

Aside from Podolak, teammate Wendell Hayes ran for 100 yards on 22 carries. Yet, there weren’t any other staggering individual numbers from either team.

Still, this game rates as a true classic, and it featured a combined 16 Hall of Famers.

Most people forget the earlier game that day in Minnesota where Dallas defeated the Vikings, 20-12, behind rookie running back Duane Thomas, who would ultimately lead them to a Super Bowl victory over Miami and claim the MVP award.

The moody, troubled Thomas - who boycotted the media - was traded to San Diego in the offseason after he was charged with marijuna possession, and never regained his touch, making brief stops with five more teams (another stint with Dallas, too) before his career was over in 1979.

Despite the drama of the games that day, the league received a tremendous amount of criticism for “ruining family time” and “Christmas dinners” as well as facing legal challenges for playing on the sacred day.

The NFL temporarily put a halt to Christmas Day games, which didn’t return until 1988.

Naughty Not Nice: Three years earlier, the Eagles made national headlines for their first incident of throwing snowballs at Santa Claus.

It was the final home and regular season game of the 1968 season, and the dreadful 2-11 Eagles hosted the 7-6 Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 15. An earlier snowstorm left Franklin Field snow covered.

Fans were frustrated the Eagles would miss the chance to win the O.J. Simpson Bowl, and frustrated with head coach Joe Kuhraich. A plane with the banner “Joe Must Go” flew over the stadium, and chants could be heard in the crowd.

Frank Olivo, a 20-year-old who had been wearing a Santa suit and fake white beard to the last Eagles’ home game for several years, was asked to fill in for another hired Santa who was stranded by the snowstorm.

As halftime approached, Olivo ran downfield past a 50-person brass band playing “Here Comes Santa Claus.” He was greeted with thunderous boos from the crowd of more than 50,000, and they pelted him with snowballs and other objects.

Olivo estimated that he was hit with hundreds of snowballs.

Ironically just over 20 years later, Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson and his players were pelted with snowballs by Eagles’ fans after their 20-10 victory in 1989, known as the “Bounty Bowl.”

Christmas hardwoods and rinks: The Sixers have played in numerous Christmas day contests, but a pair in the 1970s were two of the more memorable ones.

Their first game was in 1970 at the Spectrum. The Harlem Globetrotters played an exhibition in the Spectrum immediately followed by the Sixers-Detroit Pistons matchup.

Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer were the spark behind a 105-100 victory. Legendary Luke Jackson had the go-ahead basket in the final minute, a layup off a pass from Archie Clark (remember him?)

Cunningham had a triple-double with 21 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists, while Greer had 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting. Triple-doubles weren’t recognized like they are today.

In 1976, the Sixers met the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden in one of the first major nationally televised games that many can recall. It was billed as the “multi-million dollar spectacle” and featured some of the league’s highest-paid players. Some of the most well-known players were Julius Erving, George McGinnis, World B. Free, Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, Spencer Haywood, Bob McAdoo, and Walt Frazier.

The game lived up to its billing, with the Sixer pulling out a 105-104 victory on McGinnis’ jumper just before the buzzer. Free began to establish himself with a game-high 30 points.

I can still hear Sixers’ P.A. announcer Dave Zinkoff yelling “Freeeeeeeeee” when the guard scored at the Spectrum that year and a few beyond.

The Flyers have had a minimal Christmas day schedule, and their lone victory came in 1969 when they beat the then Oakland Seals, 3-1. They finished with just 17 wins that season, but were paced by an emerging rookie named Bobby Clarke.

Games of 1968: The year saw some significant contributions to our toy collection such as Twister, Tiny Tears Doll, Talking Barbie, Spirograph, Shoe Top Roller Skates, Kerplunk, and the Hot Wheels loop-the-loop 2-car racing track.

On this date(s) - Dec. 21, 22: Vince Lomardi coached his last game in 1969; the Eagles’ Harold Charmichael had a string of 127 games with a reception snapped; and quarterback/kicker George Blanda became the first player to score 2,000 or more points.

On this date in music history: Elton John broke through with his album and song, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” in 1973, and Ruppert Holmes captured America with the “Pina Colada (Escape)” song in 1979.

A forgotten game: In 1972, Aurora introduced “Monday Night Football,” an electric “computerized” game with cards and miniature players with Roger Staubach on the box cover. It was state-of-the-art and truly “high tech” for us back then, and one of the games that tragically got tossed out from my collection. However, you can buy a version on EBay.

Grandma’s candy stash: At Christmas, my grandma always had the Brach’s ribbon and round hard candies, some that had creme fillings, and some that had to be broke with teeth. There were also plenty of the miniature chocolate Santas around with the new variety of Hershey kisses that hit the market.

McDonald’s Christmas: Speaking of grandparents, do you recall McDonald’s gift certificates of the 1970’s? You could buy the .50 cent certificates, or get a book of them for $5. They were a stocking stuffer from grandparents and parents. Their holiday slogan was “We Do It all For You.” The ArchCard debuted soon after. Fifty cents at McDonald’s went a bit further than it does today.

Closing thought: Hope some memories clicked for you. Enjoy a blessed holiday time with your families and a healthy 2022 to all!