Ohtani’s historic 50-50 ball sells at auction for nearly $4.4 million amid ongoing ownership dispute

Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball sold at auction for nearly $4.4 million, a record price not just for a baseball but for any ball in any sport, the auctioneer said Wednesday.

Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, reaching the milestone on September 19 when the Los Angeles Dodgers star hit his second of three homers against the Marlins.

“We received bids from around the world, a testament to the importance of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s impact on the sport, and I am thrilled for the winning bidder,” said Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of auctioneer Goldin Auctions, in a statement. .

The auction began on September 27 with a starting bid of US$500,000 and closed shortly after midnight on Wednesday. The auctioneer said he could not release any information about the winning bidder.

The auction was overshadowed by litigation over the ball’s ownership. Christian Zacek left Miami’s LoanDepot Park with the ball after gaining possession in the left stands. Max Matus and Joseph Davidov each claim, in separate lawsuits, that they caught the ball first.

All parties involved in the litigation agreed that the auction should continue.

Matus’ lawsuit claims the Florida resident — who was celebrating his 18th birthday — gained possession of the Ohtani ball before Zacek took it away. Davidov claims in his lawsuit that he was able to “grasp the ball firmly and completely with his left hand while it was on the ground, successfully gaining 50/50 possession of the ball.”

Ohtani and the Dodgers are preparing for Game 1 of the World Series scheduled for Friday night.

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