The Milwaukee Brewers are just one victory away from celebrating its first World Series championship in franchise history against the Tampa Bay Rays. But while the Brewers have dominated this year with a 103-59 record, the best in Major League Baseball, visiting players have had something else to worry about off the diamond.
Ghosts.
The Pfister Hotel, located in downtown Milwaukee, has developed a reputation as one of baseball’s most notorious haunted hotels. For decades, visiting MLB players have reported unexplained noises, strange movements and unsettling experiences while staying there.
The Brewers are making their first World Series appearance in 44 years, having last reached it in 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
Opened in 1893, the historic Pfister Hotel has hosted generations of professional athletes visiting Milwaukee. However, its luxurious accommodations have often been overshadowed by reports of paranormal activity.
Former Texas Rangers infielder Michael Young has described hearing footsteps inside his locked hotel room. Other players have reported strange sounds, unexplained movements and electronic devices working on their own.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has chosen to stay in an AirBnB since 2023 because of the hotel’s reputation.
The hotel’s legend is often connected to its original owner, Charles Pfister, whose spirit is rumored to remain inside the building. According to local legend, Pfister continues to watch over the hotel more than a century after its opening.
Milwaukee’s baseball history, however, extends far beyond the Brewers,
Before the franchise arrived in 1970, the city was home to the Milwaukee Braves, who won the 1957 World Series against the New York Yankees behind Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Warren Spahn.
Spahn, a pitcher from Buffalo, New York, won the 1957 Cy Young Award awarded to the best pitcher in baseball that year after recording a 21-11 record and a 2.69 earned run average (ERA). Spahn provides a unique connection between Western New York and Milwaukee’s baseball history.
But nearly seven decades later, Milwaukee is once again on the verge of baseball immortality. Their return to the World Series has given the city another opportunity to celebrate a championship.
The Brewers’ postseason run has also brought renewed attention to Milwaukee’s baseball culture, including a hotel whose reputation has become intertwined with the experiences of visiting athletes.
Whether the Pfister is truly haunted remains a mystery. But its place in baseball folklore is undeniable.
The Pfister Hotel did not respond to The Spectrum’s request for comment by the time of the publication.
As Halloween approaches, the Brewers are on the verge of making franchise history.
And while Milwaukee hopes to celebrate its first Brewers championship, visiting players may still have one more opponent to worry about.
The ghosts of the Pfister Hotel…
Will Meyer is the senior sports editor and can be reached at will.meyer@ubspectrum.com.
