Teen Caught in Legal Battle Over Ohtani's Historic 50/50 Ball
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Today, we bring you a story that has captured the attention of baseball fans across the country. A legal battle is unfolding over one of the most valuable pieces of memorabilia in recent baseball history—Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball, which also marks his entry into the exclusive 50/50 club.
On September 19th, 18-year-old Max Matus was at loanDepot Park in Miami to celebrate his birthday by watching the Miami Marlins take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the seventh inning, Shohei Ohtani made history, hitting his 50th home run of the season. With that, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to achieve both 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
In an incredible twist of fate, Matus, a high school senior from Cooper City, caught the historic ball. But his joy was short-lived. Video footage shows a man identified as Chris Belanski wresting the ball away from Matus in the stands. Matus was left stunned as Belanski held the ball in triumph.
Belanski wasted no time in sending the ball to Goldin Auctions, a major sports memorabilia auction house, to capitalize on its value. The auction opened with a starting bid of $500,000 and is expected to skyrocket before closing on October 16th.
But now, Max Matus is fighting back. He has filed a lawsuit against Belanski and another person in the stands, claiming the ball was "wrongfully and forcefully" taken from him. The teenager is seeking damages exceeding $50,000 and is determined to claim what he believes is rightfully his.
Matus also requested a temporary restraining order to prevent the ball from being auctioned off. However, a Miami judge ruled that the auction can proceed, though the sale cannot be finalized until the legal dispute is settled. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for October 10th.
In the meantime, the ball remains in Goldin Auctions’ possession, securely displayed in a glass case. As Matus' lawyer, John Uustal, said, “I think any American, especially baseball fans, would recognize that if some kid gets a baseball, it’s not OK to just take it, even if that ball is worth a lot of money."
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this case as it develops, and we'll keep you updated.
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#Ohtani5050 #ShoheiOhtani #MLB #BaseballNews #MaxMatus #SportsMemorabilia #LegalBattle
Tags:
Ohtani 50/50 ball, Shohei Ohtani, MLB history, Max Matus, baseball fan sues, sports auction, Goldin Auctions, legal battle over baseball, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, loanDepot Park, baseball news,
MLB memorabilia, sports auction, high-value sports collectibles, legal battle over memorabilia, Shohei Ohtani collectibles, historic baseball moments, Shohei Ohtani 50/50
