Shohei Ohtani's '50-50' baseball sells for record £3.39m at auction

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani's historic '50-50' baseball has sold for a record £3.39m ($4.4m) at auction in New York.

The ball was used in the ninth inning of Ohtani's historic game against the New York Yankees on 20th June 2022, in which he became the first MLB player to hit a home run and steal a base in the same inning as a starting pitcher since Babe Ruth in 1918.

The ball, which was caught by a fan in the left-field bleachers, was put up for auction by Heritage Auctions and sold for more than double its pre-auction estimate of £1.5m ($2m).

The winning bid was placed by an anonymous collector, who will now own a piece of baseball history.

Ohtani's performance in the game was truly remarkable, as he pitched six innings of two-hit ball, striking out 12 batters, before hitting a 415-foot home run off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the top of the ninth inning.

He then stole second base, becoming the first player to do so as a starting pitcher since Babe Ruth in 1918.

The sale of Ohtani's '50-50' baseball is a testament to his unique talent and the historical significance of his achievement.

It is also a sign of the growing popularity of baseball memorabilia, as collectors are increasingly willing to pay top dollar for items that are associated with the game's greatest players and moments.