Baseball

Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 Home Run Ball Displayed in Taipei Skyscraper; Record Setting Ball is Exhibited on 89th Floor of Taipei 101

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Shohei Ohtani’s commemorative ball, which has been on public display at Taipei 101 in Taipei since Wednesday

By Masatsugu Sonoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

12:07 JST, November 14, 2024

TAIPEI — Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball of the 2024 baseball season is now being displayed to the public on the 89th floor of Taipei 101, a skyscraper in Taipei.

The ball, which Ohtani hit to become the first Major League Baseball player to achieve a record of 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, was won at auction by a Taiwanese investment company for a bid of $4.392 million (approximately ¥677 million), the highest price ever paid for a commemorative ball. Since Wednesday, it has been on display as part of an event to promote Taiwanese baseball culture.

A 79-year-old woman from Fukuoka, who visited during a trip with her daughter, said, “How lucky we were to be able to see the ball during our trip.”

The ball will be on display until March 2 next year.