This season, Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani has achieved an unprecedented milestone with his remarkable record of 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. The baseball used for his 50th home run recently fetched an impressive $3.6 million at auction, bringing the total with fees to $4.392 million. The mystery buyer? A Taiwanese company, Yu Shi Capital, which has revealed its identity ahead of schedule.
According to Ken Goldin, founder of the auction platform, there were bidders from four different countries for the historic ball. “Ultimately, it was a Taiwanese company that won the bid,” Goldin shared on October 24. “They are passionate about baseball and Shohei, and they want to share this collectible with the world. They will publicly announce their identity after the World Series.”
Upon hearing the news, Taiwanese baseball fans began to speculate about the identity of the buyer. However, prominent figures pointed out as potential bidders — including the president of the Asian Baseball Confederation, Koo Ching-liang, and the chairman of Starlux Airlines, Chang Kuo-wei — both denied their involvement.
Yu Shi Capital took the initiative to clarify its role in the acquisition, stating, “The 50 home run commemorative ball is considered the Holy Grail by many baseball fans worldwide. We are honored to bring this historically significant baseball back to Taiwan and share this moment in history.”
Hiroyuki Tanaka, president of a Japanese shopping website, had previously expressed his intention to return the ball to Ohtani and made multiple bids during the auction, but his budget maxed out at $3.5 million. While the ball was ultimately secured by the Taiwanese company, many Japanese netizens expressed relief, believing there could still be a chance to see the ball in the future.
Yu Shi Capital has also mentioned that the company employs AI systems to continuously seek collectible items and is open to collaborating with Japanese and Taiwanese organizations. They aim to arrange charitable exhibitions to give fans a closer look at the ball.
With this victory, Yu Shi Capital has gained significant recognition, prompting Japanese companies to apologize to their fans for not being able to keep the historic ball. Reports indicate that Yu Shi Capital is a proprietary trading firm that does not seek external funding and operates in markets involving ETFs, warrants, futures, options, and convertible corporate bonds. Allegedly, their trading volume is among the top ten in Taiwan.
Industry insiders noted that such firms primarily focus on program trading, where wealthy shareholders hire skilled professionals to manage their investments. This trend has become increasingly common in Taiwan in recent years.
