Max Matus, a devoted 18-year-old baseball enthusiast, has thrust himself into a legal tussle to prevent the sale of Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball. The impending auction, expected to commence on Friday, is already creating a buzz in the sports memorabilia world with opening bids projected to start at a whopping $500,000.
In a dramatic turn of events, Matus has lodged a lawsuit in Florida, aiming to halt the auction of the historic baseball which is currently in the possession of another fan, Chris Belanski. Matus alleges that during a game on September 19 at loanDepot Park in Miami, the ball was wrongfully taken from him by Belanski, with the assistance of his friend, Kelvin Ramirez. Matus claims he had secured the ball with his left hand when Belanski forcibly took it from him.
The legal battle intensifies as Matus seeks to halt the auction and ensure the ball is placed in a secure location agreed upon by all parties until a verdict is reached by the court. Despite his efforts, Goldin Auctions, the renowned New Jersey-based auction house managing the sale, is forging ahead with the auction. A Miami judge has already denied Matus’s request for a restraining order to pause the auction, allowing the sale to progress on schedule.
Responding to the lawsuit, Goldin Auctions released a statement to ESPN stating their intention to proceed with the auction despite the legal dispute. The 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County will hear Matus’s legal team’s arguments before the auction concludes on October 16. Should Matus prevail, he stands to receive a portion of the proceeds from the ball’s sale.
Ken Goldin, CEO of Goldin Auctions, disclosed that Belanski reached out to them the day following Ohtani’s remarkable accomplishment to arrange the auction. Despite an enticing $300,000 offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Belanski opted to decline and go ahead with the auctioning process.
The auction is set to commence with a buy-it-now price of $4.5 million available until October 9. Should bidding reach $3 million before this date, the buy-it-now option will be removed, extending the bidding period through October 16. As the auction unfolds, Matus’s legal action adds another layer of intrigue to what is already shaping up to be one of the most notable sports memorabilia sales of the year. Collectors, baseball enthusiasts, and legal pundits eagerly await further developments in this captivating saga.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this historic auction at Goldin.
