MILWAUKEE (July 11) -- First Carlos Gomez heard voices. Then he watched his iPod go haywire after he got out of the shower, sending him scrambling for the lobby without stopping to put on his pants and shoes.
After last year's experience, the Minnesota Twins outfielder didn't want to go back to Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel. But Gomez had to stay there when the Twins were in town to play the Brewers last month, so he brought some protection: teammate-turned-roommate Francisco Liriano and a Bible.
Does this look a ghostly hideout to you? Some guests -- including a few Major League baseball players -- say it's just that. Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel often hosts baseball teams when they're in town for games, and some players have reported having odd experiences that left them spooked.
"Everything's scary," Gomez said. "Everything in the hotel, the paintings and pictures, it's a lot of old, crazy stuff. No good, man. No good."
The Pfister is Milwaukee's most regal address, having hosted every U.S. president since William McKinley and scores of celebrities who can take a self-guided tour of the hotel's Victorian art collection. Today, it's the place to stay for upscale business travelers and out-of-town visitors, including many Major League Baseball teams. Commissioner Bud Selig, a Milwaukee native, is a frequent visitor.
But some players don't care for the 116-year-old hotel's posh accommodations and reputation for privacy. They swear it's haunted.
Gomez, San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval, St. Louis' Brendan Ryan and several Florida Marlins all say they've had odd experiences, though Ryan later said nothing really happened. Others aren't willing to talk publicly about what they've seen and heard.
Brewers visiting clubhouse manager Phil Rozewicz has heard it all from sleepy-eyed players who would rather hang out at Miller Park than spend one minute more than they have to at the Pfister.
"There was a rookie ball player and he was back in his room and he woke up in the middle of the night and his blinds were open, the window was opened and he was panicked," Rozewicz said. "So he went into the bathroom, splashed water on his face, came back out and went to bed. Shut the blinds, the window. Woke up in the morning. Same thing. Slept on the couch in the lobby the next night. Refused to go to his room. Finally, went to a Motel 6 or whatever up the street and just stayed there."
Of course, some of this could be mischievous teammates pulling pranks. But Pfister ghost stories go well beyond the ballpark.
Allison Jornlin, who leads haunted history tours for the folklore research organization Milwaukee Ghosts, said guests have reported seeing a "portly, smiling gentleman" roaming the halls, riding the elevator and even walking his dog. The apparition is said to resemble Charles Pfister, who founded the hotel with his father, Guido.
"His ghost is thought, usually, to behave very well," Jornlin said. "But MLB players seem to bring out his mischievous side."
Why's that?
"Obviously, he's a Brewers fan," Jornlin said.
But even some of the Brewers won't stay there in the offseason.
"Even if I come into town for FanFest or whatever, I'm staying somewhere else," said Brewers center fielder Mike Cameron, who moved his family to another hotel after one night last offseason. "I mean, it's not a bad place. But there has been a lot of stories, a lot of creepy things that have gone on."
Hotel general manager Joe Kurth won't acknowledge any specific ghost stories from ballplayers or other guests, citing privacy concerns. But he doesn't shy away from the rumors, suggesting that guests interested in seeing a spirit might want to stay in the hotel's historic wing.
The Pfister does have its fans. Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy loves the quiet atmosphere, though the same couldn't be said for Tracy's players when he was managing the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I was hearing suggestions, to the point that they were saying, "I've got to go to a different hotel,'" Tracy said.
That sounds familiar to Gomez, who said he hears voices and noises when he stays there and had his worst experience after hopping out of the shower last year.
He'd just started putting his clothes on when his iPod started playing with a static noise. He grabbed it and the iPod changed music suddenly before going to static again.
"I grabbed my pants and my shoes and I ran to the lobby," Gomez said.
Gomez wishes the Twins would stay somewhere else.
"I'm scared to go there," he said. "They should change the hotel. Everybody here doesn't like the hotel. Why (do) they always put us in the same hotel when you can't sleep?" CHRIS JENKINS and COLIN FLY, AP
Poltergeist
Caught on Tape
Unbelievable poltergeist activity
Ghost Pictures Show
Ghosts, Spirits, and Demons!!
Poltergeist
Captured on Video
Poltergeist
in a haunted house
Ghost Facts and FAQs by Michael
Tasker
WHAT IS A GHOST?
A ghost is an evil spirit with many powers. They use these
powers to haunt the living and perform tricks. Unlike in
the movies, ghosts are probably impervious to magical attack,
and cannot be destroyed.
WHY DO MOST
GHOSTS LIVE IN GRAVEYARDS?
If ghosts get too far away from their bodies, their powers
weaken. Though they may move freely they must visit the
area near their old bodies to replenish their energy. This
is why I have never seen a ghost on a plane.
HOW MANY TYPES
OF GHOST EXIST?
The first is a spectral orb, which looks like a ball of
light. They are most often seen in graveyards and in haunted
houses. The second is ectoplasmic mist, the second form
of a spirit They are also found in graveyards and in haunted
houses. An Apparition is the last phase, this is the strongest
of the spirit phases. The more physical they look, and the
brighter they glow. the stronger their powers are. Mainly
found in graveyards and haunted houses. Most ghost apparitions
are human (eg pirate/ Hitler), but some can be werewolves,
goblins or monsters.
IS THERE SUCH
A THING AS A DEMON?
Simple answer? Hell yes. A "Demon" is one of few creatures
from hell who still walk this earth and are very dangerous.
What you are more likely to come in contact with are "lesser
demons" or evil spirits. They are far stronger than ghosts
and differ in appearance. A ghost is a white or blue colour,
while a demon is gray, brown or black. They look just like
a shadow figure. They have various coloured eyes based on
their level of energy. Red eyes - very strong, Yellow eyes-
Strong, Teal eyes- semi-strong. Their may be other colours
of eyes, but I have only seen these three myself. They generally
will attempt to kill you or take over your mind. If there
is more than one, they can combine energy to cause harm.
If you see a demon. Get away from it. Fast.
HOW DO GHOSTS
SHOW IN PHOTOS?
Ghosts, even when not seen by the human eye, can show up
on photos. This is because they are a different type of
light that our eyes can't see (called ectoplasmic spectral
light). Under night vision, you can see ghosts. They can
be picked up for it amplifies any type of light. Orbs generally
are never seen by the human eye, for they move too fast
and are very cunning. A camera can pick them up though,
in many of orb photos you can see that they are moving.
Dont use digital !! See Dr. Ken & Lynn's page for more on
that.
ARE OUIJA BOARDS
MAGIC AND FUN?
No. Do not mess with ouija boards!! All it takes is two
people concentrating on a particular spirit to bring it
there. Once it is there, it is very hard to get it back.
Think of it as a gateway between dimensions. Although most
of the time ouija boards are fun for asking questions, in
which the answer is given through the movements of your
hands by your unconscious , it can be dangerous if it is
used in any way to contact spirits. It is likely you will
invoke Tal'Kaedoth of the Dark Realm, or at very least Ma'Chok,
the Devourer of Souls.
