When MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani hit his 50th homerun last week, fans in the stands pushed and shoved to claim the milestone baseball.
But the fight over the piece of MLB history is far from over. The dispute between two fans is set to get even more complicated as online bidding for the iconic baseball starts on Friday, and continues through Oct. 16. It's opening bid is priced at $500,000.
On Thursday, a Florida judge ruled that the auction can go on amid an ongoing lawsuit but the baseball cannot be sold before the court's hearing on the case on Oct. 10.
Earlier this month in a game against the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers player Ohtani made history by reaching the combined achievement of hitting 50 homeruns and stealing 50 bases in a single season.
The milestone ball from the 50th home run landed in the left field of LoanDepot Park in Miami, Fl. — causing a chaotic scramble among fans looking to snag it. In the end, the baseball was wrestled by two men — Max Matus and Chris Belanski.
In a video of the tussle posted on X, Belanski appears on his knees and Matus is bent over while the two both grip tightly onto the ball. Belanski later yells out "I got it!" before waving the ball in the air.
On Wednesday, Matus filed a lawsuit against Belanski, another fan, and Goldin Auctions, who acquired the baseball. In the suit, Matus claims he was the first to catch the ball and that Belanski stole the ball from him. It added that Matus was attending the baseball game to celebrate his 18th birthday.
"Belanski wrapped his legs around Max’s arm and used his hands to wrangle the ball out of Max’s hand, stealing the ball for himself," the suit said.
In an interview with ESPN, Goldin Auctions CEO Ken Goldin said a man — who he did not name — contacted the auction house about the baseball, also known as the 50/50 ball, a day after the Dodgers game.
On Thursday, Matus' attorney John Uustal filed an emergency temporary injunction to halt the auction. The request was later denied by a Florida judge. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 10 — about a week before the auction is set to close.
Uustal, an attorney with Kelley-Uustal law firm, based in Florida, said the 18-year-old high school student simply wants the ball back. "He loves baseball and he loved that ball and he'd love to have it, " he said.
Uustal added that he is prepared for a long legal battle if necessary. Depending on how the judge rules in the upcoming hearing, the milestone baseball may be out of reach from any fan until the suit is settled.
Belanski's attorney did not immediately respond to request for comment. A Goldin spokesperson said, "We are excited to bring this item to the market. While Goldin has been named as a party in the case, there are no allegations of wrongdoing by the company."
This is not the first time fights over homerun balls went from stadium to courtroom. In 2001, Barry Bonds hit a record-breaking home run. Initially, that ball made contact with Alex Popov, but he was later tackled by other fans and the ball rolled over to Patrick Hayashi.
The two went to court over who was the rightful owner of the baseball. In the end, the Superior Court of California ruled that both men had rights to ball and neither could be deprived of it lawfully. The pair sold the ball and split the proceeds evenly.
Copyright 2024 NPR
