Shohei Ohtani, the MLB player who recently hit his 50th career home run, has made headlines once again as the baseball from that milestone sold at auction for an astounding $4.4m. The auction, which took place on Tuesday night, saw 40 bids coming in, with some reportedly from Japan.
This sale sets a new record for the highest price paid for a baseball, surpassing the previous record of $3m for Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball in 1999. McGwire, a 12-time All-Star, had broken the previous single-season home run record with this achievement.
Ohtani achieved this milestone last month during a game against the Miami Marlins, where he hit a total of three home runs. His team is now advancing to the World Series, where they will be facing off against the New York Yankees.
The lucky individual who ended up with the 50th home run ball was Chris Belanski. Despite initial valuations from auctioneers estimating the ball to be worth less than $1m, it ended up fetching a staggering $4.4m at the auction. Interestingly, Belanski reportedly turned down an offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers to purchase the ball on the spot.
However, controversy surrounded the acquisition of the ball, with some fans claiming they were the ones who initially obtained it before Belanski. This led to a lawsuit against Belanski, alleging that he had wrongfully claimed ownership of the ball after a scuffle.
While the $4.4m sale price is certainly impressive, it pales in comparison to the record-breaking sale of a Babe Ruth jersey in August for over $24m. This jersey now holds the title of the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold.
In conclusion, Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run baseball has not only made history on the field but also in the world of sports memorabilia auctions. The sky seems to be the limit when it comes to the value placed on significant moments in sports history.