MLB.com: Donning Expos jersey, Tom Brady shares love for baseball cards

Opening baseball card packs with famous ballplayers, both past and present, has become a favorite pastime within America’s favorite pastime.

But on Saturday in both New York City and Linwood, N.J., an event of this kind took place that was different from any before it. In this event, the individual ripping open the packs had an unusual connection to the sport, not to mention some notoriety in another.

“This is a pretty cool day,” said seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady, who surprised card collectors at the MLB Store in New York to celebrate Topps' inaugural Hobby Rip Night. “[I was 10 years old] when I started collecting all my baseball cards. I still have binders full of my favorite players.”

The event was part of a nationwide Topps Rip Night in participating stores across the country. Brady’s appearance underscored his love of baseball, which he cultivated early in life. But he wasn’t merely a collector of cards -- he was a pretty good catcher…