Attorneys for 18-year-old baseball fan, Max Matus, filed a lawsuit in opposition to Goldin Auctions and the person who ended up with Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s fiftieth dwelling run baseball, disputing who rightfully possessed the ball within the stands.
Along with the lawsuit, Matus’ attorneys filed an emergency momentary injunction to forestall the public sale of Ohtani’s dwelling run baseball by Goldin.
The go well with argued Matus, the plaintiff who attended the Sept. 19 record-setting recreation in opposition to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park, was the primary individual to own the ball after it landed within the outfield stands. Per the lawsuit, Matus grabbed the ball together with his left hand, however Chris Belanski, one of many defendants, wrapped his legs round Matus’ arm and wrangled the ball out of his hand.
The go well with additionally referenced a video posted to X of the second the baseball landed within the stands. Belanski and Matus tussled earlier than Belanski acquired full management of the ball and waved it within the air.
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In accordance with the lawsuit, Belanski indicated on social media he meant to promote Ohtani’s dwelling run baseball. Since then, Goldin Auctions has acquired the baseball and introduced it is going to public sale off the ball starting Friday. Bidding begins at $500,000.
Matus is looking for civil damages in extra of $50,000.
“Matus has suffered irreparable hurt due to the character of the distinctive, irreplaceable 50/50 Ball,” the lawsuit stated. “Ohtani is at present one of the best baseball participant within the nation, and this ball represents a brand new report established by Ohtani. Consequently, there isn’t any sufficient treatment at regulation that may change this distinctive and extraordinary 50/50 Ball. Max is entitled to injunctive reduction to protect the established order by enjoining the 50/50 Ball from being bought or altered to forestall irreparable harm.”
On Sept. 19, Ohtani made historical past by slugging three dwelling runs (his forty ninth, fiftieth and 51st of the season) in opposition to the Marlins to change into the primary member of the the 50-50 membership (50 dwelling runs and 50 steals in the identical season).
Ohtani’s fiftieth dwelling run got here within the seventh inning on a Mike Baumann curveball that soared into the bar in left discipline at loanDepot Park.
“We’re conscious of the case that has been filed,” Goldin stated in a press release to The Athletic. “Having reviewed the allegations and pictures included within the lawsuit, and publicly obtainable video from the sport, Goldin plans to go stay with the public sale of the Ohtani 50/50 ball. Whereas Goldin has been named as a celebration within the case, there are not any allegations of wrongdoing by the corporate.”
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(Photograph: Ronald Martinez / Getty Pictures)
