Max Matus, an 18-year-old baseball aficionado, has sparked a legal showdown to prevent the auction of Shohei Ohtani’s monumental 50th home run ball. The ball, symbolizing Ohtani’s remarkable 50th home run during the season, is poised to attract bids commencing at $500,000.
In a lawsuit filed in Florida, Matus contends that the ball, currently in the possession of fellow fan Chris Belanski, was unlawfully taken from him during the September 19 game at loanDepot Park in Miami. The lawsuit implicates Belanski’s associate, Kelvin Ramirez, indicating that Matus initially had possession of the ball before Belanski allegedly forcibly seized it from him.
Reportedly, Matus, celebrating his 18th birthday at the game, had firmly held the ball with his left hand when Belanski intervened, leveraging his arm to snatch it away. Matus is now seeking to impede the auction and has urged for the ball to be secured in a mutually agreed-upon location until a verdict is reached by the court.
Despite the legal entanglement, Goldin Auctions, the auction house in New Jersey mandated with selling the ball, intends to proceed with the auction. A Miami judge dismissed Matus’s plea for a temporary restraining order to halt the auction, permitting it to progress as scheduled.
Goldin Auctions addressed the lawsuit in a statement to ESPN, stating, “We are aware of the lawsuit and intend to proceed with the auction of the Ohtani 50/50 ball after reviewing the allegations, images from the lawsuit, and publicly available game footage.”
The 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County will grant Matus’s legal representatives the opportunity to present their case before the auction concludes on October 16. A favorable outcome for Matus could potentially entitle him to a fraction of the proceeds from the ball’s sale.
Ken Goldin, the CEO of Goldin Auctions, disclosed that Belanski had approached them the day following Ohtani’s momentous game to initiate the auction. As per Fox Sports 640’s Andy Slater, Belanski rebuffed a $300,000 offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers in favor of putting the ball up for auction.
The auction initiation features a “buy-it-now” cost of $4.5 million, accessible until October 9. Should bids reach $3 million prior to this deadline, the buy-it-now alternative will be rescinded, prolonging the bidding until October 16.
As the auction progresses, Matus’s legal dispute introduces an intriguing twist to the unfolding narrative surrounding one of the most noteworthy sports memorabilia auctions of the year. Enthusiasts, collectors, and legal pundits will keenly monitor the evolving events as the case unfolds.
Don’t miss the opportunity to place your bid on this anticipated auction at Goldin Auctions.