Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50th home run ball has fetched an astonishing $4.4 million at auction, setting a new record not only for a baseball but for any ball across all sports, as confirmed by the auctioneer on Wednesday.
Previously, the record was held by Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball, which sold for $3 million.
[Related: Aaron Judge believes Shohei Ohtani is ‘the best player in the game’]
Ohtani made history by becoming the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season, achieving this milestone on September 19 while playing against the Marlins, where he hit his second of three home runs in that game.
Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin Auctions, expressed his excitement, stating, “We received bids from around the world, reflecting the significance of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s immense impact on sports. I’m thrilled for the winning bidder.”
The auction began on September 27 with a starting bid of $500,000 and concluded shortly after midnight on Wednesday. The auction house has not disclosed the identity of the winning bidder.
However, the auction was complicated by ongoing litigation regarding the ownership of the ball. Christian Zacek claimed he obtained the ball at LoanDepot Park in Miami, while Max Matus and Joseph Davidov have filed separate lawsuits asserting they caught the ball first.
Despite the legal disputes, all parties involved agreed that the auction should proceed.
Matus’s lawsuit claims that he, celebrating his 18th birthday, secured the Ohtani ball before Zacek could take it from him. Meanwhile, Davidov asserts in his suit that he “firmly and completely grabbed the ball in his left hand while it was on the ground, successfully obtaining possession of the 50/50 ball.”
As the drama unfolds, Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are gearing up for Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees this Friday night at 8 p.m. ET, airing on FOX and the FOX Sports App.
