The baseball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani during his 50th home run of the Major League Baseball season has been sold at auction for an astounding £3.39 million ($4.4 million), setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a sports ball. Ohtani, at 30 years old, made history as the first player in MLB to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season, achieving the feat in a game against the Miami Marlins on September 19.
The record-breaking £3.39 million surpasses the previous auction price for a baseball, which was £2.3 million ($3 million) paid in 1999 for the ball from Mark McGwire's historic 1998 season. The identity of the buyer remains unknown, but their bid set a new benchmark in sports memorabilia auctions, highlighting the significance of Ohtani's achievement in the sport.
However, the ownership of the '50-50 ball' is under dispute, with a legal battle brewing in Florida. Max Matus, 18, claims he initially caught the ball before another fan, Chris Belanski, allegedly wrestled it away from him. Despite the ongoing lawsuit, all parties involved agreed to proceed with the auction.
Goldin Auctions, which facilitated the sale, assured the buyer that the ball would be fully transferred to them despite the legal controversy. Ken Goldin, founder of the auction house, expressed excitement over the worldwide interest and congratulated the winning bidder for acquiring what he called an "iconic collectible."
ADD A COMMENT :