
Max Matus, a passionate 18-year-old baseball aficionado, has plunged headfirst into a legal quagmire to prevent the auctioning of Shohei Ohtani’s illustrious 50th home run ball, scheduled to kick off on Friday with an anticipated starting bid of $500,000.
In a courthouse drama playing out in Florida, Matus contends that the coveted baseball, currently under the possession of another enthusiast Chris Belanski, was unjustly snatched from him during a fateful September 19 match at Miami’s loanDepot Park. Matus asserts in his lawsuit that he had initially secured the ball before Belanski forcefully seized it, with the assistance of his friend, Kelvin Ramirez.
According to Matus’s legal filings, the pivotal moment unfolded when he, in celebration of his 18th birthday, firmly clasped the ball with his left hand only to have Belanski intervene aggressively, using his arm to wrench the baseball from Matus’s grip. Seeking to halt the auction, Matus is calling for the ball to be safeguarded in a mutually agreed secure location until the courts reach a verdict.
Despite Matus’s legal maneuvers, Goldin Auctions, the prestigious New Jersey-based auction house handling the sale, is forging ahead with the auction proceedings. Following a Miami judge’s dismissal of Matus’s plea for a temporary restraining order to stall the auction, Goldin Auctions confirmed their intent to commence the sale as scheduled.
In response to the legal fiasco, Goldin Auctions issued a statement to ESPN affirming their commitment to proceed with the auction, remarking, “We are aware of the case that has been filed. Having reviewed the allegations and images included in the lawsuit, and publicly available video from the game, Goldin plans to go live with the auction of the Ohtani 50/50 ball.”
The 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County has granted Matus’s legal counsel an opportunity to present their case before the auction concludes on October 16. A favorable ruling for Matus could potentially entitle him to a portion of the proceeds from the ball’s sale, adding a riveting twist to the unfolding narrative.
Ken Goldin, the CEO of Goldin Auctions, divulged that Belanski had swiftly reached out to them the day following Ohtani’s groundbreaking performance to arrange the auction. Despite an enticing $300,000 offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Belanski opted to rebuff their proposal in favor of showcasing the ball through the auction platform.
The auction extravaganza kicks off with a breathtaking “buy-it-now” price tag of $4.5 million, available for eager enthusiasts until October 9. Should the bids soar to $3 million before the deadline, the buy-it-now option will be withdrawn, paving the way for a thrilling bidding war that will culminate on October 16.
As the high-stakes auction unravels, Matus’s lawsuit injects a fresh layer of suspense into the compelling saga surrounding one of this year’s most momentous sports memorabilia sales. With a myriad of collectors, baseball buffs, and legal pundits avidly monitoring developments, the battle for the prized baseball intensifies, promising an enthralling denouement for all invested parties.
Secure your bid on the iconic baseball at Goldin Auctions today.