New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner announced Friday morning that the Bronx Bombers are getting rid of their long-standing facial hair policy, which dated back to 1976 under George Steinbrenner, and will allow “well-groomed beards from now on,” according to The Post.
“In recent weeks I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees players spanning several eras to get their perspectives on our long-standing facial hair and grooming policy, and I appreciate their honest and varied feedback,” Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement.
These most recent conversations are an extension of the ongoing internal dialogue that goes back several years. Ultimately, the final decision rests with me and, after much consideration, we will modify our expectations to allow our players and uniformed staff to have well-groomed beards from now on.
“It’s the right time to go beyond the familiar comfort of our previous policy,” added Steinbrenner, who is thus leaving behind a policy imposed by his father when he bought the New York team.
Some details are yet to be defined
While it remains to be seen how “well-groomed” will be defined, the move will give players a little more freedom after they were previously limited to mustaches being the only facial hair allowed.
The policy also includes a rule prohibiting facial hair below the neck, although that still seems to be the case.
Some players have pushed the facial hair policy to the limit in recent years, growing a larger than normal beard, and manager Aaron Boone sometimes had to remind them that it was time to shave.
Now, the Yankees’ new closer Devin Williams didn’t seem too happy about having to shave his beard on the first day of training last week, leaving it until the last possible moment and sporting some stubble earlier this week during team photo day
Don Mattingly was infamously benched during a game in 1991 when he refused to cut his hair.
The words and politics of “Boss Steinbrenner” in the 1970s
“I have nothing against long hair per se,” George Steinbrenner, the then-owner of the Bronx Bombers, told the New York Times in 1978, “but I’m trying to instill a certain sense of order and discipline in the team, because I believe discipline is important in an athlete.”
“The players can joke about it, as long as they get their hair cut. If they don’t, we’ll try to find a way to accommodate them somewhere else,” he added.
“I want to develop pride for the players as Yankees. If we can get them to feel and think that way, fine. If they can’t, we’ll get rid of them,” Steinbrenner concluded.
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