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'Haunted' hotel famous for scaring baseball players draws World Series focus

Pfister Hotel, open since 1893, is said to be haunted by its founder's ghost

For the first time in 44 years, Milwaukee is hosting the World Series, and it's home to one hotel that some MLB players refuse to stay in.

On Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers will face the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series at American Family Field.

The Pfister Hotel, a four-star hotel, is a popular destination for celebrities, politicians and athletes staying overnight in the Cream City. But it also has a reputation for being haunted.

The historic hotel, located in downtown Milwaukee, has been the subject of ghost stories for years, with some MLB players reporting frightening and unexplained experiences.

In 2009, then-Minnesota Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez told The Associated Press (AP) that he heard voices and experienced strange electronic disturbances while staying at the hotel.

Interior shot of Pfister hotel, view of MLB signed baseball outside the city
The historic Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee has long been associated with ghost stories and unexplained experiences reported by visiting MLB players. (Rob Elder/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images; Jonathan Aguilar/ Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service/CatchLight via Getty Images)

Gomez said his iPod began malfunctioning after he stepped out of the shower and played an "eerie static tone," causing him to run to the lobby without shoes or pants.

When he stayed at the hotel again, he said he brought a Bible with him for protection.

"Everything's scary," Gomez said.

He added, "Everything in the hotel, the paintings and pictures, it's a lot of old, crazy stuff. No good, man. No good."

Exterior of Pfister hotel in Milwaukee
The Pfister Hotel opened in 1893. It has earned a reputation for being haunted, with some professional baseball players reportedly refusing to stay there. (iStock)

Gomez isn't the only one who was spooked.

Speaking to the AP, then-Brewers visiting clubhouse manager Phil Rozewicz also recalled an incident involving an unnamed rookie who reportedly refused to return to his room after experiencing unusual activity at the hotel.

Rozewicz said the player woke up in the middle of the night to find his window and blinds open.

After closing the window and blinds, he reportedly woke the next morning to find them open again.

Black and white historic photo of Pfister
The Pfister Hotel was established in Milwaukee in 1893 by businessman Guido Pfister and his son, Charles. (Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

"[He] slept on the couch in the lobby the next night," said Rozewicz, the AP reported. 

"Refused to go to his room. Finally, went to a Motel 6 or whatever up the street and just stayed there."

But not everyone believes the hotel's alleged ghosts are malicious.

"The ghost is described as a portly gentleman with a smile."

In 2009, Joe Kurth, then the hotel's general manager, told the AP that some believe the hotel is haunted by Charles Pfister, who helped establish the property with his father in 1893.

"The ghost is described as a portly gentleman with a smile," Kurth said. "[He's] here to make sure that his brand of hospitality still exists within the hotel today."

The hotel's website says the Pfister Hotel was opened in 1893 by businessman Guido Pfister and his son, Charles, who sought to create a "welcoming and luxurious meeting place."

"This historic Milwaukee hotel was the most lavish hotel of its time, costing nearly $1 million," the website states. "It featured groundbreaking innovations such as fireproofing, electricity throughout the hotel and individual thermostat controls in every room."

If the World Series goes to Game 7, the deciding matchup will take place in Milwaukee on Halloween night.

Exterior of Pfister hotel awning in Milwaukee
Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel has remained a popular destination for celebrities, politicians and athletes despite its longstanding reputation for alleged paranormal activity. (iStock)

Fox News Digital reached out to Pfister Hotel for comment.