For most pitchers, Coors Field is a terrifying enough proposition, but for Colorado Rockies right-hander Jon Gray, he also searches for ghosts in his spare time.
In a fun piece on Cut4, MLB.com’s fun side, Michael Clair gave us an inside look at one of the game’s up-and-comers in Gray. Cut4 generally looks into some of a player’s hobbies outside of baseball, or some wacky replay from the previous day’s action. In this edition, Clair went into Gray’s amateur ghost hunting adventures.
In the article, Gray says, “I had an experience when I was younger that made me think: Maybe this is real.” Gray explained, ‘I’ve investigated three times now and I haven’t seen anything, but just that one time. It made me a believer.'”
Being the old man that I am, I grew up watching the original Unsolved Mysteries, whose host, Robert Stack, really set the tone for the supernatural with his utterly chilling voice that let you know some weird stuff was about to happen. But where my fascination for the paranormal ended, Gray’s just kept on going. Now 24, Gray has started adding tools to his ghost hunting toolkit.
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“Gray searches for proof of the paranormal with a tape recorder to capture EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) and his trusty K2 reader, which some believe can register spiritual activity.”
In looking up the K2 reader that is closest to the one pictured in the linked article, they run for about $70 on Amazon, and the product details are sparse at best. “Audio buzzer to alert you to changes in EMF. Simple on/off toggle switch.” Which are only outdone by the two reviews, “I like the sound alert to keep me informed without checking the meter.” and “It comes with batteries!”
I may have a cynical tone regarding ghost hunting just because it’s the only way I can keep from being completely terrified at encountering the supernatural. Trust me, I’ve thought about it. Even though he is out there looking for them, he hasn’t had any luck besides a weird feeling every now and again, and his backpack being moved.
Though he goes in search of ghosts, the Colorado Rockies pitcher knows better than to provoke them–especially the intelligent ones. What he means by this is that most ghosts are on a loop, “walking down the hall every night, repeating an action from their life, but not being able to interact.” Then there are the intelligent ones, and “they can mess with you.”
It appears as though Gray has done his homework, too. He says to never provoke, and he personally will not go to locations where there was a “negative, dark experience” or go searching in his own home. If he were to encounter a being, he would also never ask “How did you die?” and has been told to never tell them your name.
The two places that are on Gray’s list to visit are Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, where baseball players have reported hearing footsteps in their room in the middle of the night, and the amenities looked to be continuously turning on and off. His dream location however, is the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky, which is considered one of the most haunted places in America. Waverly Hills also hosts laser light shows between the day after Thanksgiving and January 2nd, so it can’t be all bad, right?
Either way, I have the heebie jeebies.