World Series' First Walk-Off Grand Slam Ball Sold for 2.2 Billion Won

Freddie Freeman Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam in WS
Sold for 2.2 Billion Won at SPC Auction... Third Highest Amount Ever

In the 2024 Major League Baseball World Series (WS), a baseball that was the protagonist of a 'walk-off grand slam' was sold at auction for the third highest price ever.

The baseball of Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers), which was sold for the third highest price ever with a walk-off grand slam home run. Screenshot from SPC Auction homepage.

According to foreign media including AFP on the 15th (local time), the grand slam baseball hit by Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers) was sold at SPC Auction for $1.56 million (about 2.2 billion KRW).

Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning with two outs and the bases loaded, turning the score from 2-3 to 6-3 in favor of the Dodgers during Game 1 of this year's World Series between the LA Dodgers and the New York Yankees. This grand slam was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history.

The Dodgers, who won Game 1 with a comeback, carried the momentum to defeat the New York Yankees 4-1 in the series and lifted the championship trophy. Freeman was selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game.

The grand slam baseball hit by Freeman was put up for auction, and the winning bid of $1.56 million is the third highest price ever. Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers), who achieved the 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases milestone for the first time this season, had his 50th home run ball sold at auction last October for $4.932 million (about 7.1 billion KRW), setting the highest price ever. Meanwhile, Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball from the 1999 season was sold for a staggering $3 million (about 430 million KRW) at auction in the past.