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

Shohei Ohtani’s No. 50 ball has 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 homers and steal 50 bases in a season, reaching the milestone on September 19 when the Los Angeles Dodgers star hit his second of three home runs against the Marlins.

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

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

The auction has been overshadowed by litigation over ownership of the ball. Christian Zacek left Miami’s LoanDepot Park with the ball after getting possession in the left field bleachers. Max Matus and Joseph Davidov 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 Ohtani’s ball before Zacek took it away. Davidov claims in his suit that he was able to “hold the ball firmly and completely in his left hand while on the ground, successfully gaining 50/50 ball possession.”

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

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