A new twist has emerged in the battle over ownership of Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run baseball, as a second fan has filed a lawsuit claiming possession of the historic ball. The lawsuit was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court, naming Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus, and Goldin Auctions as defendants.
Ohtani made baseball history by becoming the first player to reach 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases with his homer on September 19 against the Miami Marlins. The current bid for the baseball through Goldin Auctions stands at an impressive $1.464 million. However, a hearing scheduled for October 10 will determine the fate of the ball’s ownership due to legal complexities arising from the lawsuits.
Davidov claims in his lawsuit that he firmly grabbed the ball on the ground, but it was taken away by Chris Belanski after an altercation involving an unknown fan. Seeking over $50,000 in damages, Davidov alleges that the ball was wrongfully snatched from him during the incident. The first lawsuit, filed by Max Matus, also makes a similar claim stating that Belanski forcibly took the ball from him during a scuffle.
The legal battle over the ownership of Ohtani’s milestone baseball continues to unfold, with each party presenting their version of events. The lawsuit proceedings are set to shed light on the true owner of the historic baseball. Stay tuned for further updates on this intriguing sports saga.