MIAMI — The claim to Shohei Ohtani’s potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball.
According to online records, the latest suit was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court, and the defendants are Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus and Goldin Auctions. Belanski is the man who left the stadium with the baseball. Matus — who filed the first lawsuit last week — and Ramirez have also claimed ownership of the ball.
Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases, reaching the mark on Sept. 19 with his homer in Miami against the Marlins. The bidding for the baseball through Goldin Auctions is currently at $1.464 million.
Because of a ruling related to Matus’ lawsuit, the ball can’t be formally sold until a hearing that is scheduled for Oct. 10.
Davidov claims in his suit 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.”
The suit goes on to say that “an unknown fan wrongfully jumped over the railing, jumped onto the Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s arm and attacked the Plaintiff causing the 50/50 Ball to come loose and roll into the hands of Defendant Chris Belanski.”
Davidov is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
The first lawsuit claims that Matus, a Florida resident who was celebrating his 18th birthday, gained possession of the Ohtani ball before Belanski took it away. Part of the presentation by Matus’ attorney on Oct. 10 will be video of the scramble for the ball in the stands.
“Max successfully grabbed the 50/50 ball in his left hand and intended to keep it,” the lawsuit stated. “Unfortunately, a few seconds later, defendant Belanski — a muscular older man — trapped plaintiff’s arm in between his legs and wrangled the 50/50 ball out of Max’s left hand.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Shohei Ohtani, the talented two-way player for the Los Angeles Angels, has been making headlines both on and off the field. Recently, another fan has filed a lawsuit asserting ownership of Ohtani’s 50-50 baseball, which he hit during a game.
The 50-50 baseball is a rare and valuable item in the world of sports memorabilia. It is a baseball that has been hit for both a home run and a strikeout in the same game by the same player. In this case, Shohei Ohtani achieved this feat during a game earlier this season, making the baseball a highly sought-after collectible.
The fan who has filed the lawsuit claims that he caught the ball during the game and is the rightful owner of it. However, there is some dispute over who actually caught the ball and whether or not it was legally obtained. The lawsuit alleges that the fan who currently has possession of the ball obtained it through fraudulent means and is not the rightful owner.
This case highlights the intense competition and high stakes involved in the world of sports memorabilia. Collectors are willing to go to great lengths to obtain rare and valuable items, often leading to legal disputes over ownership. In this particular case, the 50-50 baseball hit by Shohei Ohtani has become a symbol of his incredible talent and versatility on the field, making it a highly coveted item for fans and collectors alike.
As the lawsuit plays out in court, it will be interesting to see who ultimately emerges as the rightful owner of Ohtani’s 50-50 baseball. In the meantime, fans and collectors will continue to follow the story closely, eager to see how it unfolds and what impact it may have on the world of sports memorabilia.
