From Baseball Cards to Baseball Players: A Trade to Remember

Whether you used to open the pack for the powdery gum or the excitement of seeing which cards you got to add to your collection, baseball has secured it's place in America's pastime, but more recently has made history when it comes to where this sport is going in the near future.

Just a few weeks back, in an dusty old attic in Iowa, a treasure box filled with century-old baseball cards where found after a family began cleaning out their grandfather's house. His name, Carl Hench who ran a meat market.

About 700 cards were in pristine condition, once given out with candy in the early 1900s, but above all, a few had faces of the ghost of baseball's past. Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Cy Young and Honus Wagner were among the treasures found.

Many deem this find as the biggest trade in baseball card history as it brought the Karl Kissner family, who originally were going to discard the find, over $566,00 via online and live bidding. About 20 happy Kissner grandchildren later and a plan to continue trading the cards just like they were intended -- but this time for the big bucks -- over the next three years could belt out $3 million.

Just when I thought that was the end of a big "baseball trade" this year. At least one for the books -- this weekend's turn of events made me think: from the faces on trading cards to the actual players getting traded -- one thing stands certain, there's a whole lot of money involved. A quarter of a billion dollars, two teams and nine players. The most expensive trade in MLB history.

The Red Sox traded first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, pitcher Josh Beckett, outfielder Carl Crawford and third baseman Nick Punto plus $11 million to the Dodgers. The Red Sox acquired first baseman James Loney, pitcher Allen Webster, infielder Ivan DeJesus Jr. and two players to be named. A true win for the Dodgers.

It didn't take much time for a Silver Slugger like Adrian Gonzalez to show his worth in his first game in blue as he homered in his debut. On the other side of the trade, James Loney also made an impact in his debut as a Red Sox with an RBI Single which tied the game in the fifth, going on for the 8-6 win over Royals.

I'm sure the Kissner family knows most magic tricks involve cards. Dodger Blue, after this trade, do you believe in Magic? Johnson says it takes money to be good in this league.

I wonder how much an Adrian Gonzalez rookie card might go for in the next century? Dodger history runs deep. As does Bostons.  Cy Young played a good chunk of his career with the Americans, the Rustlers, the Red Sox.