Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 home run baseball sold for a record-shattering price despite lawsuit over ownership

When Shohei Ohtani made history successful Miami backmost successful September — becoming nan first subordinate ever to deed 50 location runs and bargain 50 bases successful a azygous play — nan Dodgers made an effort to acquisition nan shot backmost pinch a six-figure offer. The instrumentality who came up pinch nan ball declined that offer, and nan auction results proved he made nan correct decision.

On Tuesday night, Ohtani’s 50-50 location tally shot officially sold astatine auction for astir $4.4 cardinal done nan auction location Goldin. That fig collapsed nan grounds that antecedently belonged to Mark McGwire’s 70th location tally shot from 1998’s location tally pursuit pinch Sammy Sosa astatine $3 million.

Shohei Ohtani's 50/50 location tally shot sold for a record-breaking $4.39 million, per @GoldinCo.

It's now nan astir costly shot of each time. 💰 pic.twitter.com/90aeLV4qVP

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2024

But nan play astir that shot is only conscionable beginning.

About a week aft nan location run, 18-year-old Max Matus revenge a suit to extremity nan auction, claiming that he had nan shot earlier it was forcibly taken from him successful a scrum. The suit was later revised to let nan auction to spell on, and instead, nan attraction would beryllium connected nan payout. Video did show that nan lawsuit’s suspect Chris Belanski wrapped his legs astir Matus’ manus earlier coming up pinch nan ball.

And since then, a 3rd fan, Joseph Davidov, sued some Matus and Belanski to declare that he had nan shot first.

As we pointed retired erstwhile nan first suit was filed, there is precedent down nan fans being ordered to divided nan payout evenly. It happened pinch Barry Bonds’ 73rd location tally ball. In a conscionable world, everyone progressive should beryllium happy astir stepping distant pinch complete $1 cardinal apiece, but we’ll person to spot what nan tribunal decides.