Shohei Ohtani’s iconic baseball fetched a record-breaking $4.3 million at auction

“He’s in his own world!” Los Angeles Dodgers play-by-play announcer Joe Davis shouted into his microphone. It was September 19, 2024 and a top-class Japanese baseball Player Shohei Ohtani had just reached his 49Th Home run of the season. His 50thTh followed later in the Dodgers’ game against the Miami Marlins, as well as his 51stst. “Unique player!” Davis shouted. “A unique season!”

In the world of baseball, 50 home runs is a legendary achievement. In the entire history of Major League Baseball, only 32 players have joined this exclusive club, and only 10 have done so more than once. Knowing that, it shouldn’t be surprising that Ohtani’s lucky baseball was making a pretty penny at this point put up for auction at Goldin on October 23rd.

Unsurprising, if no less astonishing, is the fact that this ball, purchased by an unknown buyer, sold for a whopping $4.39 million, setting a new record for baseball memorabilia after Mark McGwire’s 70Th The home run ball from the 1998 MLB season was sold in 1999 for $3 million.

On the other hand, we are also talking about Shohei Ohtani here. Born in Oshu, Japan, in 1994, he took the Nippon Professional Baseball League by storm by setting the record for most home runs and steals of any Japanese player. Nicknamed Shotime, he is often considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, living or dead, including the patron saint of baseball herself, Babe Ruth. “The greatest day in the history of baseball,” to quote Davis. “This isn’t real life.”

Auctioneers were similarly enthusiastic about Goldin. “Ohtani made history with this baseball,” said Ken Goldin, CEO of the auction house said A statement said: “And now, with the highest retail price of any ball ever sold, this legendary piece of sports memorabilia has made history once again.”

Although the auction itself went smoothly, there was actually quite a bit of drama behind the scenes, most notably over the rightful ownership of the ball. Unlike sports like football, where spectators must return balls that find their way into the stands, baseball has a tradition that whoever catches a ball owns that ball.

Shohei Ohtani 50. Home Run Game-Used Baseball. Photo courtesy of Goldin.

This tradition explains the spontaneous wrestling matches that take place in baseball stadiums whenever a player successfully sends the ball flying toward the audience. In Ohtani’s case, his home run was initially caught by an 18-year-old Max Matus, only to be snatched away by another spectator, Christian Zacek took it home with him.

It appears that Zacek passed the ball to Goldin. But when the auction house tried to put it up for auction, they received a message from Matus. Or rather, Matus’ lawyer, his court filing Claims that Zacek gave him “forceful control of the ball”.

Although the ownership issue has not yet been resolved, the parties involved were able to reach an agreement that allowed the historic auction to continue and gave the winner “full certainty that he will receive the ball free of charge and unequivocally.”

In the meantime, the proceeds from the auction have been deposited into an account where they will remain until the matter is resolved.