A lawsuit from a Florida man has temporarily prevented the sale of Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball at auction, after he claimed it was taken from him right after he caught it.
Max Matus’ representatives say he got the historic ball from the Los Angeles Dodgers star on September 19, which was also his 18th birthday, before Chris Belanski took it away. The ball has since been given to Goldin Auctions, a New Jersey auction house that specializes in trading cards, collectibles, and memorabilia.
During an emergency hearing on Thursday, a Miami-Dade County judge decided to postpone the motion for a temporary injunction, with an evidentiary hearing scheduled for October 10.
The order allows the auction to begin, but states that the auction house “will not sell, conceal or transfer” the ball until the court makes a decision.
Matus’ initial filing asks the court to declare that he owns the ball and requests a jury trial for his claims. He also accused Belanski of unlawful battery.
Kelvin Ramirez is also mentioned in the lawsuit, claiming he owns the ball as well. Ramirez was at the game with Belanski. Goldin Auctions, Belanski, and Ramirez are all named in the lawsuit filed by John Uustal, the attorney for Matus.
The starting bid for the ball is $500,000. The white leather ball shows black scuffing and abrasions and has been authenticated by Major League Baseball.
