Abhay Singh
Shohei Ohtani, the talented young player who had accomplished the remarkable feat of hitting his 50th home run and swiping 50 bases in a single season, watched in awe as the very ball that marked this historic achievement was ultimately sold at a prestigious auction early Wednesday for an astounding sum exceeding $4.3 million.
This unbelievable moment solidified his place in baseball history, as the LA Dodgers superstar became the first and only player to achieve the incredible 50-50 milestone in September, a feat that catapulted him to legendary status among baseball greats.
There were 40 bids from around the world at the auction
The successful bid at 12:26 a.m. ET was the result of 40 bids from all over the world. It was the highest sum ever paid for a baseball, or any ball, according to New Jersey auction house Goldin.
Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin said “Shohei Ohtani made history with this baseball, and now, with the highest sale price for any ball ever sold, this legendary piece of sports memorabilia has made history again,”
On September 19, Ohtani, 30, of Japan, entered the game against the Florida Marlins with 48 home runs and 49 stolen bases. Ohtani made history in the seventh inning when he hit a powerful strike to left field on a 1-2 ball from Marlins pitcher Mike Baumann.
Ohtani’s 51st season home run ball is also for sale. It was one of three home runs he hit that evening. The ball’s fate naturally came into focus after that, as collectors were eager to acquire such a rare object.
The fan who discovered it was working with Goldin, an auction house located in New Jersey, and the opening bid was placed at $500,000, with the possibility of purchasing it entirely for $4.5 million.
Black scuff marks on the white leather ball were authenticated by the MLB
The MLB verified that the white leather ball had black scuff marks on it. After the ball landed, there was a great commotion, according to Goldin’s website, with people flipping over eating tables and chairs at Miami’s loanDepot Park to get their hands on it.
Within a week, security personnel removed Christian Zacek out of the stadium and took it to Goldin.
Goldin’s blurb for the item said “This offered baseball is truly a one-of-a-kind specimen, a crowning piece for any game-used memorabilia collection. The baseball exhibits excellent game use, with black scuffing and surface abrasions present throughout the white leather surface,”
Although the buyer’s identity has not been made public, there is a pending court battle concerning who was the ball’s original owner before it was sold and who was the first to collect it.
In September, 18-year-old Max Matus sued to stop the sale, saying he was the owner. Joseph Davidov also filed a second complaint, alleging he had the ball first.
According to the Associated Press news agency, all parties to the dispute concurred that the sale should proceed according to schedule. Ohtani and the Dodgers are getting ready for Friday’s World Series opener against the New York Yankees.
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