Max Matus, an avid 18-year-old baseball aficionado, thrust himself into the limelight by initiating a legal showdown aimed at thwarting the auction of Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50th home run ball. The coveted baseball, recognizing Ohtani’s remarkable season milestone, is slated to ignite bidding wars starting at a hefty $500,000.
The legal dispute ignited when Matus lodged a lawsuit in Florida, challenging the auction set to kick off on Friday. He alleges that the prized baseball, currently in the possession of another fan named Chris Belanski, was unlawfully snatched from him during the game at loanDepot Park in Miami on September 19. Matus contends that he initially seized the ball, only for Belanski, assisted by his friend Kelvin Ramirez, to aggressively wrest control of it from Matus’s grip.
Matus, who had attended the game to celebrate his 18th birthday, firmly insists that the baseball belonged rightfully to him before the scuffle ensued. His legal recourse aims to impede the auction proceedings and advocates for the ball to be safeguarded in a mutually agreed secure location until a court verdict is reached.
Despite Matus’s legal maneuver, Goldin Auctions, the esteemed New Jersey-based auction house facilitating the sale, stands unwavering in its decision to push forward with the auction. Following a Miami judge’s denial of Matus’s plea for a temporary restraining order to pause the auction, Goldin Auctions affirmed its intent to proceed with the sale as scheduled.
In response to the lawsuit, Goldin Auctions issued a statement to ESPN, expressing awareness of the legal action and affirming their commitment to proceed with the auction of the prized Ohtani 50th home run ball. The auction house expressed its resolve by indicating plans to launch the auction despite the unfolding legal tussle.
The legal clash will unfold in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County, providing a platform for Matus’s legal representatives to argue their case before the auction culminates on October 16. Success in the legal battle could potentially entail Matus receiving a portion of the proceeds generated from the sale of the momentous baseball.
Ken Goldin, the CEO of Goldin Auctions, unveiled that Belanski swiftly reached out to them the day after Ohtani’s groundbreaking game to orchestrate the auction. Reports suggest that the Los Angeles Dodgers tabled a lucrative offer of $300,000 to Belanski for the ball, which he rebuffed in favor of subjecting the baseball to auction proceedings.
The auction spectacle commences with a tempting “buy-it-now” price tag of $4.5 million, accessible until October 9. If bids soar to $3 million before the specified date, the buy-it-now alternative will be rescinded, paving the way for competitive bidding until October 16.
As the high-stakes auction unfolds, Matus’s lawsuit injects a captivating layer of intrigue into the unfolding drama surrounding one of the year’s most notable sports memorabilia auctions. The unfolding events are poised to captivate collectors, ardent baseball enthusiasts, and legal pundits alike as the legal saga evolves.
For those eager to participate, the opportunity to bid on the cherished baseball awaits at Goldin Auctions.
