Will Ohtani's 50/50 Ball Be Split 50/50? Fla. Court to Decide Owner of $4.5M Disputed Catch
Once the ball left the yard and entered the seats, Ohtani and MLB no longer owned it. Instead, a Florida court will decide the rightful possessor of the prized ball between two fans who both claim they caught it.
October 09, 2024 at 11:11 AM
11 minute read
Commentary
Patrick M. Judd of Phelps Dunbar. Courtesy photo.. Two-way baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani made history on Sept. 19 by becoming the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. But the milestone, achieved against the Florida Marlins in Miami, sparked a legal battle over the ownership of the potentially $4.5 million baseball that marked his 50th home run.
While the cameras followed Ohtani rounding the bases that day, they quickly flipped focus from the baseball field to the courtroom. Once the ball left the yard and entered the seats, Ohtani and MLB no longer owned it. Instead, a Florida court will decide the rightful possessor of the prized ball between two fans who both claim they caught it.
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