This season, Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani made history by achieving an unprecedented “50 home runs and 50 stolen bases” milestone. The ball from his 50th home run fetched an astounding $3.6 million at auction, and with fees, the final amount reached $4.392 million. Surprisingly, the winning bidder turned out to be a Taiwanese company, Yu Shih Capital, which has revealed its identity.
Ken Goldin, founder of the auction website, shared on October 24 that there were bidders from four different countries for the historic ball. “In the end, it was won by a Taiwanese company. They love baseball and Shohei, and they hope to share this collection with the world. They will reveal their identity after the World Series,” Goldin stated.
The news sparked speculation among Taiwanese baseball fans, but prominent figures such as Ku Cheng-liang, president of the Asian Baseball Federation and chairman of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association, and Chang Kuo-wei, chairman of Starlux Airlines, both denied being involved.
Yu Shih Capital, focused on algorithmic trading, took the initiative to respond with a statement saying, “The ball commemorating Ohtani’s 50 home runs is a coveted treasure among baseball fans worldwide. We are honored to bring this historically significant baseball back to Taiwan and share this moment in history.”
Tanaka Yusuke, president of a Japanese shopping site, had publicly expressed his intention to return the ball to Ohtani and had placed multiple bids during the auction, but his budget was capped at $3.5 million. Although a Taiwanese company ultimately won the bid, many Japanese netizens felt relieved, believing there might still be a chance to see the ball.
Yu Shih Capital also expressed their intent to continuously gather collectible items through AI systems and is eager to collaborate with institutions in both Taiwan and Japan for public exhibitions, allowing fans to have close encounters with the prized memorabilia.
With this victory, Yu Shih Capital has garnered attention, prompting Japanese companies to apologize to fans for not securing Ohtani’s 50 home run commemorative ball. It has been reported that Yu Shih Capital operates with its own funds and does not seek outside investments, engaging in algorithmic trading across various domestic and international markets, including ETFs, warrants, futures, and options. Allegedly, their day trading volume ranks among the top ten in strength.
Industry insiders note that such companies are primarily algorithmic trading firms, typically backed by wealthy individuals, indicating a growing trend of affluent investors seeking expert assistance in managing their operations in Taiwan over recent years.
