The ball New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit for his American League-record 62nd home run sold for US$1.5 million at auction.
The price is the second highest paid for a baseball auction, Goldin executive chairman and founder Ken Goldin said.
He identified the buyer as a prominent businessman and collector from the US Midwest.
Photo: AP
Bidding on the ball opened on Nov. 29 and ended on Saturday. The minimum opening bid was set at US$1 million.
The home run ball was consigned to Goldin last month by Cory Youmans. He was sitting in the front row of section 31 in left field at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Oct. 4 when Judge led off the second game of a doubleheader against the Texas Rangers and connected.
Youmans snared the drive on the fly with his glove.
“That’s the magic of sports — this ball didn’t only change Aaron’s life, it changed the life of the fan who was in the stadium that night, too,” Goldin said in a statement.
Roger Maris, a former Yankee, set the old record of 61 in 1961.
The highest price paid at auction for a baseball is US$3 million. It was for one hit by Mark McGwire on Sept. 27, 1998, to reach 70 for the season. Comic book creator and artist Todd McFarlane bought the ball.
After completing one of the greatest seasons and winning the American League Most Valuable Player, Judge agreed to a nine-year, US$360 million contract with the Yankees.
Judge said in a conference call before the auction that he was not going to bid on the ball.
“He caught the ball, he’s the one that made the play out there in left field, so it’s his right to do what he wants with it,” Judge said of Youmans. “Hopefully he’s making the right decision for him and his family.”
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