Shoehei Ohtani’s historic 50/50 club sparks frenzy at Fountain Valley sports store

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani has once again made baseball history, becoming the first player to join the 50/50 club with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

“That’s crazy. There’s been a lot of great players over the year, but for him to hit that, that’s insane,” said Fountain Valley resident Trent Sievers.

As Ohtani’s fans continue to grow, so does the demand for his memorabilia. Fountain Valley Sports Attic store owners Mike Gaspar and Leah Bacccanti said their phones have been ringing nonstop with customers asking if they have Ohtani 50/50 gear.

“There’s a lot of excitement. We’re getting everything in everything from 50/50 shirts to pendants, clubhouse signs, pins,” said Gaspar.

“From a business standpoint it was wow, this will be amazing for us. You know we’re a small family business. So it’s been pretty cool to know that this is going to bring in a little more foot traffic,” said Baccanti.

The store has been a local hub for sports fans for over 20 years. But with Ohtani’s rising popularity over the years, Gaspar and Baccanti have had to create an entire display filled with Ohtani gear with both Angels and Dodgers fans eager to get their hands on it.

“I’ve just been looking for all the new Ohtani stuff. I love collecting all the stuff that has been coming out. The collector pins, I have a set of those,” said Huntington Beach resident Thomas Balich.

“People are hopeful, they’re so excited that the gear is already here, but they do have to produce it first,” Gaspar said.

“We joked about the idea that we get this 50/50 gear and there’s still an opportunity for him to go 60/60 which is kind of crazy because then maybe the 50/50 gear wouldn’t be a big deal, I don’t know,” Baccanti said.

For those looking to commemorate Ohtani’s achievement, Gaspar and Baccanti said customers better act quickly because they’re expecting to sell out their Ohtani 50/50 gear once they receive their shipment.