Teenager seeking to halt Ohtani 50
- A Florida teenager, Max Matus, claims he is the rightful owner of Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 home run ball, which he caught during a game at loanDepot Park.
- Matus alleges that two other spectators, Chris Belanski and Kelvin Ramirez, wrestled the ball away from him and are now attempting to auction it through Goldin.
- The auction is set to proceed despite Matus's lawsuit, which seeks to halt the sale, highlighting the ongoing dispute over ownership of the valuable baseball.
On September 19, during a game at loanDepot Park, Shohei Ohtani hit his 50th home run of the season, making history as the first player to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Max Matus, an 18-year-old Florida resident, claims he caught the historic ball but alleges it was forcibly taken from him by two other fans, Chris Belanski and Kelvin Ramirez. They are now attempting to auction the ball through Goldin, a prominent auction house. Matus has filed a lawsuit in Florida's 11th Judicial Circuit Court, seeking an injunction to prevent the auction from taking place. He argues that he is the rightful owner of the ball, which is expected to fetch millions due to its significance in baseball history. The auction is scheduled to start with an opening bid of $500,000, with a private purchase option of $4.5 million available until October 9. Goldin has stated that they will proceed with the auction despite the lawsuit, having reviewed the allegations and video footage of the incident. They believe the auction will go ahead as planned, indicating confidence in their legal standing regarding the ownership dispute. The situation highlights the complexities surrounding ownership of sports memorabilia, especially when significant historical moments are involved. As the auction approaches, the outcome of Matus's lawsuit could have implications for both the auction house and the future of sports collectibles.