Max Matus, a devoted 18-year-old baseball enthusiast, finds himself embroiled in a legal tussle to prevent the auction of Shohei Ohtani’s monumental 50th home run ball, slated to commence on Friday with anticipated bidding starting at a staggering $500,000.
In a lawsuit filed in Florida, Matus contends that the coveted baseball, currently in the possession of another fan named Chris Belanski, was unlawfully wrested from him during the game at loanDepot Park in Miami on September 19. The legal action also implicates Belanski’s companion, Kelvin Ramirez, alleging that Matus had initially secured the ball before Belanski forcibly seized it from him.
According to the lawsuit’s account, Matus, celebrating his 18th birthday at the game, had firmly grasped the ball with his left hand when Belanski intervened by using his arm to take it away. Seeking to halt the auction, Matus is requesting that the ball be secured in an agreed-upon location until the court resolves the dispute.
Despite Matus’s legal maneuver, Goldin Auctions, the auction house overseeing the sale, intends to proceed with the auction. A Miami judge denied Matus’s bid for a temporary restraining order to pause the auction, allowing it to continue unfettered. Responding to the lawsuit, Goldin Auctions reaffirmed their plan to proceed with the auction, stating that they are aware of the case and will proceed with the sale based on their review of the allegations and available evidence.
The 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County will hear arguments from Matus’s legal counsel before the auction culminates on October 16. Should Matus prevail, a share of the proceeds from the ball’s sale could potentially come his way. Ken Goldin, CEO of Goldin Auctions, disclosed that Belanski had reached out to them a day after Ohtani’s milestone game to arrange the auction, despite declining a $300,000 offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers in favor of the auction route.
The auction initiates with a “buy-it-now” option set at a lofty $4.5 million, open until October 9. If bids reach $3 million before this deadline, the buy-it-now choice will be rescinded, and bidding will persist until October 16. As the auction unfolds, Matus’s legal battle adds a compelling layer to the captivating narrative surrounding one of the year’s most prominent sports memorabilia transactions. The unfolding drama will undoubtedly captivate collectors, baseball aficionados, and legal observers alike.
Don’t miss the chance to stake your claim on this remarkable piece of baseball history by participating in the auction at Goldin.
