A signed Cal Ripken Jr. card worth about ninety dollars is the starting line for one of the best family stories of this World Series. Jonah Traaseth, an Eau Claire native, has been trading up: the chain now includes Bucks versus Timberwolves tickets and a case of New Glarus beer, all building toward two tickets to Game 4 between the Brewers and Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
The reveal happened Friday night while the family watched Game 1 together. During WEAU’s 10 p.m. newscast, Jonah told his grandmother, Jean Grace, that she’s going to the World Series with him. Her response said everything: she doesn’t need anything, she just wants to be part of supporting his dream. The trip is dedicated to his grandfather, a devoted Brewers fan who died about four years ago and watched nearly every game with Grace.
The final trade for the tickets is still pending, and the whole chain has been powered by people who asked for nothing in return. With Game 4 just across the bay from the Suncoast, plenty of us will be watching to see how it ends. Have you ever traded your way into something special for someone you love?
