Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run of the Major League Baseball season was hit by the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar and sold for a record$ 3.39 million ($ 4.4 million ) at auction.
The Chinese hitter, 30, became the first person in sports history to record 50 home runs and 50 steals in a single season in his team’s game against the Miami Marlins on September 19.
A sports game has never been the highest bidder for a sports game at auction, and the unknown customer paid the$ 3.39 million.
The previous record paid at auction for a baseball was the £2.3m ($ 3m ) paid in 1999 for Mark McGwire’s record-breaking ball from the 1998 MLB season.
Max Matus, 18, said in a legal claim that he grabbed Ohtani’s 50th iliad and another fan wrestled it from his hands.
Matus claims that the game was momentarily in his hands before a man named Chris Belanski “wrapped his legs around Max’s shoulder and used his hands to squeeze the ball out of Max’s hands, stealing the ball for himself.”
All events with game states agreed to proceed with the bidding.
According to Goldin Auctions, who were running the buying, the consumer was given “full guarantee” the game would be entirely transferred into their hands.
” We received requests from around the globe, a testament to the value of this classic collectible and Ohtani’s effect on activities, and I’m thrilled for the winning bid”, said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions.
the sport’s highest-paid athlete
Ohtani signed a 10-year deal with the Dodgers in 2023 worth £539.5m ($ 700m ), the largest contract in baseball history.
Although Ohtani is one of the highest-paid golfers for his on-field income, he is also paid more than LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In order for the Dodgers ‘ lineup to remain competitive, Ohtani agreed to postpone the majority of his income in December 2023.
The agreement may allow Ohtani to make an average of £1.6 million a month through 2034 and an average of £54 million a year thereafter until 2043.
On Friday, the Dodgers and the New York Yankees likely face off in Game 1 of the World Series.