[craig nigrelli]
THE BATTLE OVER SHOHEI OHTANI’S 50TH HOME RUN BALL INTENSIFIES AS A SECOND FAN FILES A LAWSUIT, CLAIMING OWNERSHIP OF THE VALUABLE SOUVENIR. THE BALL, HIT DURING OHTANI’S HISTORIC SEPTEMBER 19 GAME, FOR THE DODGERS, AGAINST THE MIAMI MARLINS, HAS REACHED ABOUT ONE-AND-A-HALF-MILLION DOLLARS IN AUCTION BIDS.
JOSEPH DAVIDOV, WHO FILED THE LATEST LAWSUIT IN FLORIDA, CLAIMS HE HAD POSSESSION OF THE BALL BEFORE ANOTHER FAN JUMPED ON HIM, CAUSING IT TO ROLL INTO THE HANDS OF CHRIS BELANSKI, WHO LATER AUCTIONED IT.
Davidov is seeking more than 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS in damages.
THIS FOLLOWS 18-YEAR-OLD MAX MATUS’S EARLIER LAWSUIT, ALLEGING THAT BELANSKI FORCIBLY TOOK THE BALL FROM HIM DURING A SCRAMBLE IN THE STANDS. BOTH FANS ARE PURSUING RIGHTFUL OWNERSHIP OF THE BALL, WHICH CELEBRATES OHTANI’S ACHIEVEMENT AS THE FIRST PLAYER TO HIT 50 HOME RUNS AND STEAL 50 BASES IN A SEASON.
THE ONGOING LEGAL DISPUTES HAVE DELAYED THE AUCTION, WITH A COURT HEARING SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 10TH. THE BALL’S RISING VALUE HAS GARNERED WIDESPREAD ATTENTION, RIVALING THE $1.5 MILLION SALE OF AARON JUDGE’S AMERICAN LEAGUE RECORD-BREAKING 62ND HOME RUN BALL IN 2022.