Shohei Ohtani 50-50 baseball: Second fan information lawsuit

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after hitting his fiftieth dwelling run of the season throughout the seventh inning of a baseball recreation towards the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photograph/Marta Lavandier)

MIAMI— The declare to Shohei Ohtani’s probably profitable fiftieth dwelling run ball grew extra difficult this week, with a second fan submitting a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball.

Based on on-line information, the newest go well with was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida’s eleventh Judicial Circuit Court docket, and the defendants are Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus and Goldin Auctions. Belanski is the person who left the stadium with the baseball. Matus — who filed the primary lawsuit final week — and Ramirez have additionally claimed possession of the ball.

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Ohtani grew to become the primary participant in baseball historical past to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases, reaching the mark on Sept. 19 together with his homer in Miami towards the Marlins. The bidding for the baseball via Goldin Auctions is at present at $1.464 million.

Due to a ruling associated to Matus’ lawsuit, the ball can’t be formally offered till a listening to that’s scheduled for Oct. 10.

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Davidov claims in his go well with that he was in a position to “firmly and utterly seize the ball in his left hand whereas it was on the bottom, efficiently acquiring possession of the 50/50 ball.”

READ: Japan in awe after Shohei Ohtani makes MLB historical past

The go well with 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 inflicting the 50/50 Ball to return unfastened and roll into the arms of Defendant Chris Belanski.”

Davidov is in search of greater than $50,000 in damages.

The primary lawsuit claims that Matus, a Florida resident who was celebrating his 18th birthday, gained possession of the Ohtani ball earlier than Belanski took it away. A part of the presentation by Matus’ legal professional on Oct. 10 shall be video of the scramble for the ball within the stands.

“Max efficiently grabbed the 50/50 ball in his left hand and meant to maintain it,” the lawsuit acknowledged. “Sadly, just 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.”