Collector Catches Pack from Mike Trout, Pulls Babe Ruth 1/1 at Topps Rip Night

A Huge Rip Night Pull at DNA Cards & Collectibles

On 2026 Topps Rip Night, DNA Cards & Collectibles in Arizona set up blaster packs for everyone to rip simultaneously. Special guest and future Hall-of-Famer Mike Trout asked if he could help hand them out, then started grabbing handfuls of packs and throwing them into the crowd.

“You see packs flying everywhere,” DNA owner Adam said. “It was unreal. The atmosphere was electric. One lucky collector caught a pack, opened it, and pulled the Babe Ruth All Kings one-of-one.”

2026 Topps Rip Night Gets Loud

Topps Rip Night at DNA Cards & Collectibles is a huge event. The Arizona hobby shop’s newest location, which opened six months prior and features batting cages, a cafe, a Wall of Wax, and a trade space, was set up for a party.

The batting cages were open all day for free. A photo booth gave collectors the chance to sign an autograph on their own print. Athletes made special appearances, and raffles gave attendees chances at premium experiences, including one collector who won a signed photo alongside two-time Cy Young Award Winner Blake Snell.

Justin Steele, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and an avid card collector, arrived early in the evening. “He came a little earlier, was hanging out, ripping packs,” Adam said. “Super big UFC card guy.”

Trout arrived for his second consecutive Rip Night at DNA, this time bringing his son along. Trout and Steele swapped signed baseballs in the back room for their kids before heading out. Between 100 and 150 collectors had turned out, many to see Trout.

“I introduced him to the crowd,” Adam said. “I mean, this is a generational talent, a superstar. The room got as loud as a shop can get.”

Trout with the Assist on a Babe Ruth 1/1

Adam had opened blasters in advance and laid all the packs out, intending for the crowd to rip together at one time. When Trout saw the setup, he wanted to hand some out himself.

“He started chucking packs into the crowd, handing them to the kids,” Adam said. “It was awesome.”

With packs in hand, the crowd held them up and tore in. A few moments later, someone started yelling about a one-of-one, and people around him began to realize what had happened.

Because Trout was still in the room and drawing most of the attention, the news spread slowly at first. “Not until Trout left the room entirely did it really catch on,” Adam said, “besides the collectors immediately around him, who could see what was happening.”

The card was none other than a Babe Ruth one-of-one from the hugely popular All Kings insert. It’s the sort of moment Topps Rip Night was made for — a massive pull from a free pack, thrown to the lucky collector by one of The Hobby’s all-time greats.

The giveaways went on all night. For Adam, one particular highlight was with Kansas City Royals phenom Jac Caglianone. “Watching him interact with the kids that came out was special. So many lined up to see him. He decided to grab blaster boxes for everyone, so we could all rip packs together. His thinking was the same as ours: Nobody should leave empty-handed.”

“Everyone was part of the experience,” Adam said. “It wasn’t about an autograph or a big hit, it was the feeling of The Hobby bringing people together.”

2026 Topps Series 1 Baseball Drives the Hype

Adam was happy with the product driving the Rip Night excitement. “Series 1 has been, I would say, the best paper release in probably five years.”

Adam pointed to the Iconic Topps Buybacks program, which embeds redemptions for graded vintage cards in Series 1 packs. “The unique chases in the product, I saw the Bob Gibson graded rookie has been pulled, that was unreal. The Mantle, obviously. Just unique pieces that go beyond just rookies.”

“Cards like the Gibson, it’s not tied to whether someone is playing well. It’s a card that will only appreciate as he grows as a collector. Stuff like that is what builds The Hobby.

“Same goes for the Babe Ruth, I mean he is the original Shohei Ohtani.”

DNA: A Hobby Destination

For Adam, nights like these are the validation that makes all the effort worthwhile. “We can’t guarantee anything cool is going to get hit,” he said. “But when it does, it’s magic.”

Topps Rip Night at DNA costs attendees nothing: no admission, no purchase required. “I always want to make sure it’s free,” Adam explained. “You’re not paying for anything. This is a fun event where we make it easy to come hang out, experience other like-minded collectors, and have some fun. You really never know what might happen.”

DNA itself is built around the same philosophy of access, community, and fun. Adam’s goal has long been to make DNA a true destination in The Hobby: “Disneyland never moved. Disney World never moved. Everyone wants to go there. How can we get to be the Disneyland of card shops?” 

The experience at DNA is built around the cards, but it offers much more to its customers. The space is designed to make collectors want to stay for hours. Events like Rip Night are just one piece of the puzzle.

Babe Ruth 1/1 Rip Night FAQs

• What is Topps Rip Night?
  • Topps Rip Night is a hobby celebration held at participating card shops where collectors gather to open packs and share the experience of ripping cards together. Events often include giveaways, raffles, athlete appearances, and special promotions.
• What is a redemption card in trading cards?
  • A redemption is a claim card inserted into packs or boxes that you redeem later for the actual card (often an autograph or rare parallel). Redemptions exist when the final card isn’t ready for pack-out at release time.
• Who appeared at the DNA Cards Rip Night event?
  • Several athletes attended the event, including Mike Trout, Justin Steele, and Jac Caglianone. Trout helped hand out packs to collectors, while other athletes spent time interacting with fans and participating in the festivities.
• What makes DNA Cards & Collectibles unique as a hobby shop?
  • DNA Cards is designed as a destination hobby shop, featuring batting cages, a café, a massive singles selection, and a breaking space where collectors can rip packs together. Events like Rip Night highlight the shop’s focus on community and shared experiences.

Key Facts

• Event: 2026 Topps Rip Night
• Location: DNA Cards & Collectibles, Arizona
• Special guest: Mike Trout
• Big pull: Babe Ruth All Kings 1/1
• Product: 2026 Topps Series 1 Baseball
• Highlight: Trout throwing packs into the crowd before the 1/1 was pulled

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