Shohei Ohtani's '50-50' Home Run Ball Sells for Record $4.392M as Dodgers Reach World Series

Oct 22, 2024, 06:26 PM

Shohei Ohtani's '50-50' home run ball has sold at auction for a record-breaking $4.392 million, the highest sale price for any ball in any sport. The ball surpassed the previous record held by Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball, which sold for $3 million in 1999. The auction was conducted by Goldin Auctions, with CEO Ken Goldin noting the historic significance of the sale. Online bidding began at $1.8 million and escalated rapidly as Ohtani led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series in his first season with the team. Ohtani had signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, the largest in American team sports history. Remarkably, the sale price of the home run ball is more than double Ohtani's $2 million salary for the season. Litigation for the proceeds continues as the ball's ownership is contested.