In the ongoing saga of Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball, a second fan has entered the legal fray, filing a lawsuit claiming possession of the historic baseball. Joseph Davidov filed the lawsuit in Florida's 11th Judicial Circuit Court against Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus, and Goldin Auctions. Belanski, the man who initially left the stadium with the ball, is at the center of the dispute.
Ohtani made history by becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases, achieving the milestone on September 19 in Miami. The bidding for the ball through Goldin Auctions has reached $1.464 million, but a ruling related to Matus' lawsuit has put a hold on the sale until a hearing on October 10.
Davidov claims in his lawsuit that he firmly grabbed the ball on the ground before another fan attacked him, causing the ball to roll into Belanski's hands. He is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
Matus, the first fan to file a lawsuit, asserts that he had possession of the ball before Belanski forcibly took it from him. His attorney plans to present video evidence of the incident during the upcoming hearing.
The situation surrounding Ohtani's 50th home run ball continues to evolve as multiple fans lay claim to possession. The legal battle highlights the passion and competitiveness of sports fans when it comes to acquiring memorabilia from historic moments in sports. The outcome of the lawsuits and the eventual fate of the ball remain uncertain as the legal process unfolds.