MIAMI — The thrilling race for ownership of a historic baseball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani intensifies as a second fan, Joseph Davidov, has filed a lawsuit in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court over the rightful possession of Ohtani’s 50th home run ball. This legal battle follows a prior lawsuit from 18-year-old Max Matus claiming his right to the ball, which is currently fetching bids upwards of $1.464 million at a Goldin Auctions event.
Shohei Ohtani achieved a monumental feat on Sept. 29, during a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park, by becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. This historic game saw Ohtani going 6-for-6, including three home runs, elevating the game’s score to a staggering 20-4 in favor of the Dodgers. The pandemonium peaked when Ohtani knocked his 50th homer into the left-field stands, sparking a frenzied scramble among fans to claim the ball.
The subsequent controversy began when Chris Belanski left the stadium with the pivotal home run ball and promptly placed it up for auction. The lawsuit filed by Davidov includes not only Belanski but also Matus, Kelvin Ramirez — another claimant who has expressed his stake via social media — and Goldin Auctions itself.
Davidov’s lawsuit details a chaotic scene where he allegedly secured the ball on the ground, only to be physically assaulted by an unidentified individual, culminating in the ball rolling away and into Belanski’s possession. According to his claim, Davidov asserts that the assault was the sole reason for his loss of possession over the coveted item. He is now seeking damages exceeding $50,000 as compensation for his ordeal.
As interest in the ball swells, the auction continues to draw significant attention with bids starting from $500,000 on Sept. 27. The ball’s current highest bid places it near the brink of breaking the record for the second most expensive home run ball ever sold at auction. The record is presently held by Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball from the 1998 season, which sold for $3.005 million, followed by Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run ball from the 2022 season, fetching $1.5 million.
Amidst this escalating legal and public interest, the auction’s closing date was recently postponed from Oct. 16 to Oct. 22. A spokesperson from Goldin attributed the change to “the volume of international interest in this item,” underscoring the global allure of the baseball and the historic achievement it represents.
This legal and commercial drama encapsulates not only the high stakes associated with significant sports memorabilia but also the intense personal connections fans and collectors have with these tangible pieces of sports history. The resolution of these lawsuits may set precedents for future cases involving valuable sports artifacts and the chaotic moments following their initial public release. As the auction end date nears, all eyes will be on the outcome of the court case set for Oct. 10, pivotal in determining the fate of the ball and its ultimate owner.