Between the demands of practices, games, and other team obligations, theres not a lot of time left in the day for things like personal grooming. Gone is the beard that Carpenter has sported in the past. Home Why Arent Yankees Allowed to Have Beards? But most teams allow facial hair, and in 2013 the Wall Street Journal reported that 58% of 912 major league ballplayers it checked had some type of mustache or beard. Hockey players have long championed the beard as a postseason superstition. [13], The policy remained in effect even after Steinbrenner's death at the request of his daughter Jennifer, a partner in the Yankees franchise. If you have social media accounts and follow any Yankee, you will learn that their favorite offseason hobby is. Should he really have no control over his face? Still, he should find time on the calendar to erase a no longer applicable legacy of his father. The Yankees no-beard policy has had a significant impact on the teams look and culture. ), 1. Should the Yankees now adopt to modern times? Stubble used to be considered rough and ungroomed, then it became sexy. The teams players often rock beards in the offseason, suggesting that theyd actually prefer to have facial hair. So be it, Cole said shortly after joining the club. Another reason Yankees players may avoid growing facial hair is because of the negative associations that come with it. What Kind of Dirt Do You Use for a Baseball Field. Let us know what you think in the comments! If a star player like Judge truly wanted to take the policy down or had teammates join him the Yankees know theres not much they could do to stop them. McCutchen, who had worn long dreadlocks as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, said that if he had been traded to the Yankees during that time, it would have been difficult to part with his hair, "Because that's who I was That's (what) made me Andrew McCutchen. What standard is being upheld? The Yankees went on to win 8-4. In a highly competitive and image-conscious industry like Major League Baseball, players often go to great lengths to create and uphold a certain image, and facial hair can be seen as disruptive to that. The future is bright and bearded. Theres no real clear answer anywhere, but the best guess is that its just tradition. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had hair down to the middle of his back, and it didnt affect the way he went about his work. According to Pinella, Steinbrenner in response showed him a nearby pond, commenting, Its about seven to eight feet deep. The Yankees have a long-standing tradition of being clean-shaven, but some players are bucking the trend. Steinbrenner's policy remains in place after his death, and has led to a number of dramatic appearances changes for players who come to the Yankees from other teams, such as Oscar Gamble, as well as pushback from players who prefer long hair and beards. Steinbrenner had made his name in the shipping industry, dabbling in Broadway as well. I guess I can dig into who will be the Mets bench coach, but once that is announced, it will be the last time I think about that position until Buck Showalter is ejected and I turn to the person next to me and ask, who is the bench coach again?. And why are the Yankees even still enforcing such inanity which allows mustaches, but no beards or hair lengths below the collar? It created a bit of an uproar and the media mocked the team for doing so. No mutton chops. It is one thing for a free agent to sign with the Yankees, know the policy and agree to accept it. The Yankees have a long-standing tradition of being clean-shaven, but some players are bucking the trend. Its something theyve done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule persisted as some long-held tribute to Steinbrenner despite changes throughout the organization. Will anything come of it? The opposite scenario occurred the next year, when George Bamberger was put in charge of the Milwaukee Brewers and subsequently relaxed the appearance restrictions put into place by his predecessor, Alex Grammas. Chapman throws left-handed and bats right-handed. At the same time, the policy has had a negative impact on the teams reputation among some younger fans. Why Don't Yankees Players Have Beards? The New York Yankees, one of the most successful and storied teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), have a long-standing policy that prohibits their players from having facial hair. In 2013, the Yankees passed on pursuing notably bearded relief pitcher Brian Wilson because Wilson told the Yankees he would not be shaving. The Yankee system isnt what it used to be and weve got to get it back to what it was., Naturally, some players rebelled. In 1973, the Yankees' owner, George Steinbrenner, had a realization sitting in the stands that led to the appearance policy that Yankees follow to date. Some players have taken advantage of the rule . Because they are not permitted to grow . If this was an inspirational sports movie, wed be at the beginning, when the tough-but-fair leader instills strict measures on his players, turning them into champions. In 1991, Don Mattingly, one of the most beloved of the Yankees during the 1980s who was by then in the twilight of his career, was benched because his hair was too long, provoking his ire. The Yankees no-beard policy dates back to the late 19th century, when the team was founded by John J. McGraw and Frank Farrell. "[12] Steinbrenner argued in 1978 that the policy was not specifically about a distaste for long hair and more about "trying to instill a certain sense of order and discipline" that he believed was important for athletes to maintain. On one hand, some argue that the policy should remain in place to preserve the teams traditional look. Make it: Gone today, hair tomorrow. Because that was who I was. Additionally, what MLB teams dont allow facial hair? Remember back in the day when everyone had mustaches? George's policy was inspired by the Cincinnati Reds, who had a similar rule forbidding all facial hair from 1967 to 1999. For me, when I was on the Pirates and me having my dreadlocks, Id be lying to you if I said if I got traded over to the Yankees and they said you gotta shave your hair for me, that would have been a very tough thing to do. Another reason why Yankees players might not have beards is because of the teams clean-cut image. It specified that players' hair is not allowed to make contact with their shirt collars as well as that they are not permitted to have any facial hair besides mustaches. As the story goes, the two men wanted to create a team that was distinct from the other baseball teams of the day, which mostly had players with full beards or mustaches. Well, it is the third version of the facility, it is more mall than ballpark and it is a few football fields from the original. Even my daughter, she doesn't want to look at me" pic.twitter.com/V6SvOcsNuC. No teams in the NBA, NHL or NFL have an appearance policy. In an effort to make the Yankees stand out, they decided to outlaw facial hair. There are a few reasons for this. So while beards may not be common among Yankees players, facial hair in general is far from unheard of. [23] The policy also leaves an exception for mustaches, and in 2015, a number of Yankees began growing mustaches out of a superstition that their facial hair growth was tied to their improved game performance. "I find men with beards and men without . Why do Yankees players have to shave? 3. Major League Baseball has some of the most recognizable bears, mustaches, and other facial hair in its 117+ year history that fans have loved. For now, the team seems content to keep the policy in place, although some fans and players have argued that it is time for the team to embrace facial hair. The most Yankees manager Aaron Boone could really do is bench a player and frame it as a managerial . Finally, its worth noting that having a beard can actually be somewhat of a disadvantage when it comes to playing baseball. Those rules, thats old-school baseball. . The league has never had a facial hair or beard policy for players. He did it all himself, Martin told the press. In an effort to make the Yankees stand out . Andrew Miller let his hair and beard go crazy. Same with beards. If anything needs to go, its not the beards but that antiquated way of thinking. No mutton chops. But you want them to do that in a professional manner., Rougned Odor on having to shave his beard when joining the Yankees:"I feel weird. In some cases, players have even said that they feel like they need to shave their beards off in order to look more professional. Why Arent Yankees Allowed to Have Beards? The team's wildly outdated "appearance policy," remember, prohibits players from wearing long hair and . Im a true connoisseur of the game. Its definitely different, said catcher Gary Sanchez, who is one of the teams young stars. $120. Do the new york yankees allow facial hair? In 2013, the eccentric San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson told the Yankees that he wouldnt shave his magnificent beard, ending any possible talks of him signing with the team. "[32] (McCutchen would cut his dreadlocks off on his own accord in 2015 for charity while still with the Pirates. Maybe this is their way of saying we dont need you anymore. Mattingly relented and got his haircut the next day, but the incident was infamous enough to be mentioned in the great 1992 episode of The Simpsons, Homer at the Bat.. Im the kind of fan that knows all the stats and trivia. I couldnt do it. I wouldnt sign a long-term deal there. I want to develop pride in the players as Yankees. To what end? Steinbrenner's military background is often cited as the reason why he didn't want long hair or beards, and certainly for generations of baseball fans the Yankees, who don't put their players' names on the back of their jersey, suggesting that the team is greater than the individual, have resembled a . Lou doesn't like beards, mustaches, or long hair like Matt Martin used to have. . And especially with the team in recent years failing to live up to their potential, its worth debating whether management should let the players be themselves rather than forcing them to conform to a musty old rule. Ultimately, the decision is up to the Yankees and their fans. For one thing, his family still owns the club. Hi, my name is James and Im a huge baseball fan. No beads. Over his Hall of Fame career, Ford was a 10 time All Star who went 236-106 with a 2.75 ERA. If you have social media accounts and follow any Yankee, you will learn that their favorite offseason hobby is not golfing or fishing. At the end of the day, the debate around the Yankees no-beard policy is likely to continue. Im a grown man. Being told that hed have to be clean-shaven if he went over to the Yankees, Price responded, I wouldnt stay there very long then. Why don t Yankees players have beards? [8], George Steinbrenner became the owner of the New York Yankees MLB franchise the year after the Mustache Gang debuted. George Steinbrenner wanted his players to look neat. Fifty years later, the team still fears the beard, a silly policy endemic of an antiquated ethos that baseball is trying to get away from, In January 1973, George Steinbrenner, along with 11 other business partners, bought the New York Yankees. In the 1970s, the Yankees began to relax their policy a bit, allowing players to grow mustaches. He's carried the team with his bat while killing it with his defensive miscues. . Soon, the mandate came down, leading to a policy that continues to this day: All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches (except for religious reasons), and scalp hair may not be grown below the collar. Another reason is that facial hair can be uncomfortable to wear during the hot summer months, when the Yankees play the majority of their games. In the mid-1990s, the Yankees began to resemble the championship clubs of yesteryear, appearing in the playoffs on an annual basis, winning four World Series in the span of five seasons. The policy was inspired by Steinbrenners time in the United States Air Force which had a similar appearance code. Steinbrenners military background is often cited as the reason why he didnt want long hair or beards, and certainly for generations of baseball fans the Yankees who dont put their players names on the back of their jersey, suggesting that the team is greater than the individual have resembled a tight ship, at least in how they present themselves to the public.