Images have emerged of desperate baseball fans scrambling to find Shohei Ohtani’s historic home run ball in a bid to land a big payout.
Ohtani produced one of the greatest individual performances in MLB history on Thursday night as he took his dominant first season with the Dodgers to new heights.
The $700 million Japanese star became the first major league player with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season.
He surpassed the 50-50 mark in the most spectacular game of his storied career, becoming the first major league player to hit three home runs and steal two bases in a game during a 20-4 rout of the Miami Marlins that also clinched a playoff spot for the Dodgers.
Video from a Miami baseball stadium shows fans pushing and elbowing each other as they search under seats to try to find the ball from the 50th home run.
Images have emerged of desperate baseball fans fighting for Shohei Ohtani’s home run ball
He became the first Major League player with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
In the video, a huge fight breaks out as they fight to get their hands on a valuable piece of baseball history.
That’s because on Friday, Dillon Kohler of SCP Auctions told NBC The ball could be worth at least $300,000 and could sell for as much as $500,000.
The ball from Yankees star Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run, an American League record in 2022, has sold for $1.5 million at auction, according to a statement. MLB.com.
There was heartbreak for one fan, who missed Ohtani’s home run after coming within inches of winning the award of a lifetime.
The fan’s initial struggle came when he leaned forward as the ball was descending into the Recess Sports Lounge.
As the ball bounced towards him, the fan extended his left hand and came within inches, but inevitably failed to grab the ball.
The ball sailed over the scoreboard above the stadium’s nightclub before hitting the surface and giving the fan a chance to grab a rebound.
A fan in Miami came very close to catching Ohtani’s 50th home run this season
He grabbed the railing in front of him and stretched his torso on the second attempt, but chose not to throw himself down to the section below him.
It was another memorable night for Ohtani at loanDepot Park, where he struck out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout of the United States for the final out of the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship while playing for Japan.
“I’ve probably had the most memorable moments here in my career,” Ohtani said, “and this ballpark has become one of my favorite ballparks.”
Ohtani, already widely regarded as the greatest player in baseball, whose accomplishments as a pitcher and hitter surpassed even Babe Ruth’s, reached new heights as an offensive player while taking a year off from pitching.
Ohtani signed his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last December.
The two-way star, who previously spent six years with the Los Angeles Angels, has played exclusively as a designated hitter this season while rehabbing after surgery a year ago for a torn elbow ligament.