History in the Making: From Ohtani's Record-Breaking Season to Legal Firsts

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Last week Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Shohei Ohtani made baseball history, becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season (for good measure, he hit that milestone in a game in which he had a ridiculous 10 runs batted in, 6 hits, 3 home runs, 2 stolen bases and a partridge in a pear tree). This week, 18-year-old Florida resident Max Matus made sports law history, becoming the first person to sue to stop the auction of a 50th home run ball hit by a player that also stole 50 bases in a single season. Matus, who claims that the home run ball was rightfully his after having allegedly caught the ball only to—again, allegedly—have it forcibly ripped away from him, certainly has financial incentive for his claim with the ball estimated to fetch $4.5 million at auction.  Even the wisdom of King Solomon might be challenged in the face of that kind of money, but allow me to throw a suggestion into the pot. Ohtani purchases the ball (he can well afford it) and Matus gets 50%. Voila! Problem solved! For those going to the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees series this weekend – if you happen to catch Aaron Judge’s 60^th home run, hold on for dear life.  

• Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown decided against $50M in endorsement money and instead launched his own brand and signature shoe. Clearly well acquainted with the marshmallow test.
• Financial services company Robinhood inks a jersey patch sponsorship with its third NBA team – each are odds-on favorites to lead the league in steals.
• Former Heisman Trophy Winner Reggie Bush sues the NCAA and his alma mater University of Southern California Trojans over lost name, image and likeness revenue, calling his inability to cash in during college as an injustice. For their part, the NCAA and USC called it an am-bush.
• Husband and wife artists Clifford “T.I.” Harris and Tameka “Tiny” Harris recover $71 million after toymaker MGA’s “OMG Fashion Dolls” were found to infringe the Harris’ “OMG Girlz” intellectual property. Now I am wondering whether this BloOMGarden can get a cut of that…