Hauntings

Alleged ghost sightings, hauntings, and other paranormal phenomena at the Pfister Hotel date back many years. Some believe that the ghost of founder Charles Pfister haunts the hotel.

However, sensational news reports in 2009 that many major league baseball (MLB) players refused to stay at the hotel due to fear of ghosts drew attention.

The players alleged they experienced paranormal activity at the hotel. They reported seeing shadowy figures and experiencing poltergeist activity, such as objects moving by themselves, lights dimming or going on and off, electrical appliances going on and off, and TV sets switching on and off when no one was there.

They also reported hearing knocking sounds and other strange noises.

But skeptics have suggested that the reported strange activity at the hotel might have been part of a marketing pitch the hotel management arranged with famous sports celebrities.

Adrian Beltre (L.A. Dodgers)

In 2001, the Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Adrian Beltre reported strange occurrences while staying at the hotel. He said he heard phantom sounds in the hallway and repeated knocking on his door. When he opened the door, there was no one there.

Later in the night, he heard pounding on the wall behind his headboard. Scared, he fetched his bat to defend himself.

The noise continued for much of the night, and he slept for only a few hours during his three-night stay.

Carlos Gomez (Minnesota Twins)

Later in 2008, the Minnesota Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez also reported strange occurrences while staying at Pfister Hotel.

The two-time MLB All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner reported hearing phantom voices from his bedroom while he was in the shower. When he came out of the shower, no one was in the bedroom, but he noticed his iPod was on, although he had switched it off.

The device began moving by itself as if it was being agitated by the vibrations of a ringtone. It moved toward the table edge, and Gomez had to prevent it from falling off.

When he picked up the device, it started playing music by itself. Puzzled, he switched it off and put it in the middle of the table. But it switched on again and began moving toward the table edge.

The Associated Press reported that Gomez did not want to stay at the hotel when his team returned to Milwaukee the following year to play the Brewers. He stayed there only after a teammate agreed to share the room. He checked into his room with a Bible for protection (Chris Jenkins and Colin Fly, Associated Press, July 2009).

He later describes the hotel as scary.

Brendan Ryan (St. Louis Cardinals)

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop and defender Brendan Ryan reportedly encountered a ghost in his room. He claimed to have seen a bright object and experienced a sharp drop in room temperature that left him chilled.

Phil Rozewicz strange story

Milwaukee Brewers visiting clubhouse manager Phil Rozewicz told the Associated Press in 2009 that a player reported that while staying at the hotel, he woke up at night to find the blinds and the windows open.

He shut the windows and drew the blinds before returning to bed. But in the morning, he found the blinds drawn and the windows open again.

He was so scared by the incident that he refused to return to his room. He spent the night at a rundown motel nearby (Chris Jenkins and Colin Fly, Associated Press, July 2009).

Florida Marlins players reported strange occurrences

Florida Marlins players also reported paranormal phenomena. The Palm Beach Post reported in 2009 that the last time the players stayed at the hotel, many insisted on sharing rooms due to fears about their safety.

Pablo Sandoval (San Francisco Giants)

San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval (nicknamed Kung Fu Panda) reported poltergeist activity at the hotel in the summer of 2009.

The two-time All-Star and three-time World Series championships winner claimed he saw his door opening and shutting on its own when he woke up in the early hours.

Later in the summer of 2010, Sandoval and teammate Edgar Renteria made headlines when they reportedly refused to stay with the team at the hotel due to fear of ghosts.

They stayed at the nearby Intercontinental.

 C.J. Wilson (Texas Rangers)

During an appearance on ESPN in June 2010, Texas Rangers C.J. Wilson claimed strange occurrences at Pfister Hotel.

The professional baseball pitcher and auto-racing enthusiast said he heard scratching sounds on the wall late at night. Electrical appliances, including his bedside lamp, also went haywire.

The lamp switched on and off on its own.

Texas Rangers star Colby Williams saw a frightening apparition

Other Texas Rangers players, besides C.J. Willson, reported strange occurrences.

According to Wilson, his teammate Colby Preston Lewis (nicknamed Cobra) saw a ghost resembling a skeleton. The alleged encounter shook the burly 6 feet 4 inches tall player.

He consulted with the team chaplain the next morning and missed a scheduled media appearance that day.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts

The Orange County Register reported in May 2023 that Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts refused to stay at Pfister when his team played the Brewers in Milwaukee. Instead, he arranged to stay with friends at an Airbnb.

He told the Orange County Register that he had heard stories about ghosts at the hotel and did not want to take chances.

Several other MLB players reported paranormal activity at Pfister Hotel: Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies), Justin Upton (Atlanta Braves), Michael Young (Philadelphia Phillies), Brandon Phillips (Boston Red Sox), and Giancarlo Stanton (Florida Marlins).

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