| Creator: | Herb Schmertz |
| Director: | Glenn Swanson Jerry Hughes |
| Presenter: | Curt Gowdy |
| Producer: | Gerry Gross Dick Enberg |
| Runtime: | 30 Minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Channel: | PBS |
| Company: | Gerry Gross Productions Mobil Oil Corporation |
| Num Seasons: | 5 |
The Way It Was is a PBS television series featuring athletes reminiscing about a particular sporting event from the past that aired from 1974 to 1978. Hosted by Curt Gowdy, the bulk of the 30-minute broadcast was dedicated to rebroadcasting the game, uninterrupted but in edited form, with a short 5-minute discussion segment at the end of the show. The show is also notable for its computer-animated intro with the song "Happy Days Are Here Again".
Gerry Gross, who created Sports Challenge, produced the show in association with KCET in Los Angeles.[1] PBS aired the show from October 3, 1974 to 1978. Mobil Corporation provided major funding for the series, and had also released a 1975 book on the series, as a tie-in with the show's first season.
In 1976, the show was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of "Outstanding Edited Sports Series."[2]
Reruns currently air on ESPN Classic, occasionally under banner titles such as NFL's Greatest Games or Classic World Series Film.