The baseball hit by Shohei Ohtani for his 50th home run of the season sold at auction for almost $4.4 million, a record price not just for a baseball, but for any ball in any sport, according to the auctioneer on Wednesday.
Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season, achieving this feat on Sept. 19 when the Los Angeles Dodgers star hit his second of three home runs against the Marlins.
“We received bids from all over the world, demonstrating the importance of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s impact on sports. I’m excited for the winning bidder,” Ken Goldin, the founder and CEO of auctioneer Goldin Auctions, said in a statement.
The auction began on Sept. 27 with a starting bid of $500,000 and closed just after midnight on Wednesday. The auctioneer said they could not disclose any information about the winning bidder.
The auction has been overshadowed by a dispute over the ball’s ownership. Christian Zacek left Miami’s LoanDepot Park with the ball after gaining possession in the left-field stands. Max Matus and Joseph Davidov both claim in separate lawsuits that they grabbed the ball first.
All parties involved in the legal battle agreed that the auction should continue.
Matus’ lawsuit argues that the Florida resident, who was celebrating his 18th birthday, gained possession of the Ohtani ball before Zacek took it away. Davidov claims in his lawsuit that he was able to “firmly and completely grab the ball in his left hand while it was on the ground, successfully obtaining possession of the 50/50 ball.”
Ohtani and the Dodgers are preparing for Game 1 of the World Series, scheduled for Friday night.