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. The most Yankees manager Aaron Boone could really do is bench a player and frame it as a managerial decision (and everyone would see through that). No mutton chops. New York Yankees' 10 greatest offseason beards through the years Why can't Yankees have beards? In 2019 when the Yankees acquired highly-prized ace Gerrit Cole, he had to say goodbye to his beard and long hair. Mattingly refused, and was effectively benched because of it. 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. Same with beards. For example, the Yankees do not display their players' names on either their home or road jerseys. Another reason why Yankees players might not have beards is because of the teams clean-cut image. Finally, its worth noting that some Yankees players do have facial hair just not beards. This policy dates back to the late 19th century, when the team was founded by John J. McGraw and Frank Farrell. pic.twitter.com/k8xhPuPnYS. Shortly after taking over the Yankees, he decided hed end a tradition of having fresh-cut flowers on employees desks. This isnt the military. And why are the Yankees even still enforcing such inanity which allows mustaches, but no beards or hair lengths below the collar? Ice hockey is colder than other sports, making beards more popular. George saw many of his team players with long hair and scruffy faces, which he was not a fan of. That question alone should be enough to get rid of the rule. I wouldnt sign a long-term deal there. Many of the players on the team have said that they simply dont like the way that facial hair looks on them or feels. In 2013, the Yankees passed on pursuing notably bearded relief pitcher Brian Wilson because Wilson told the Yankees he would not be shaving. In 1983, Steinbrenner ordered that Goose Gossage remove his facial hair. Now the beard issue is dead. Here's why: 1. In fact, the no-beard policy was so strict that players were even prohibited from growing mustaches. Most teams did not formally adopt any grooming or personal appearance policies until the 1970s, as earlier social customs meant that players were generally clean-shaven. The Yankee system isnt what it used to be and weve got to get it back to what it was., Naturally, some players rebelled. Heres a look at why dont Yankees players have beards. Take relief pitcher Brian Wilson in 2013, for example. "[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. What is a Whitey Ford signed baseball worth? Read next New York Yankees Beards Recommended Video [28] Pitcher David Price, meanwhile, told reporters that he would not want to sign with the Yankees due to their appearance policy. But Steinbrenner didnt want that hippie-ish nonsense infecting the Yankees. Remember back in the day when everyone had mustaches? The New York Yankees have made the pinstriped home uniform their signature look for over a century, but they are neither the only nor the first MLB team to wear pinstripes. Some people think its a great way to show team unity, while others think its unprofessional. On the other hand, facial hair is not as common among soccer and basketball players since they have to run a lot which can get uncomfortable due to all the heat and sweat. Re: Beards @MIYUMMY 3/1, 7:30PM!!! No mutton chops. The Yankees have a long-standing tradition of being clean-shaven, but some players are bucking the trend. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The CBA, which is expiring, would protect players from fines or suspensions over beards. Ill stick to building ships.. (Never mind that it also opens the Yankees up to derision, like in this great Onion piece headlined Yankees Eliminate Longstanding No Pubic Hair Policy.) Plus, theres an open question concerning what would happen if current Yankees simply refused to shave. [6][7] The 1972 World Series, in which the Athletics faced the clean-cut Cincinnati Reds, was deemed a match between "the Hairs and the Squares". Because Aaron Judge has a beard now, and he really should keep the beard. 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. Although sports-related superstitions are common across all. Clint Frazier. Will anything come of it? Also, has anyone refused to shave for Yankees? Past practices and precedent matter and so, perhaps, an arbitrator would accept that a baseball organization has the right to control the hair length of an adult under its employ. Beards eventually made a comeback years later when they were sported by hippies and the Beatles. A player such as Guerrero has no control if his current team trades him. I think if you look professional, you act professional. But he refused to ban facial hair, noting, [Athletes are] individuals, they have their personalities. Prior to that, players were required to maintain a clean- shaven look. The dawn of the tech era has increased what we can take away from spring training. What are the big market MLB teams? - AnswersAll Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned., 1970s Baseballs 10 Best #Sideburns Cards; No. What did new york city look like in 1776. [13] The strict grooming requirements of the baseball club have led to several instances in which a player known for his long hair or beard on his former team becomes clean-cut upon signing with the Yankees. In an effort to make the Yankees stand out, they decided to outlaw facial hair. Why do Yankees players have to shave? He also said that he doesnt think theres any rule against beards in baseball, so hes not sure why more Yankees players dont have them. That's why Andrew Ladd 's . The global beard grooming market was valued at $24.1 billion in 2018, according to statistics on beard care. We all know what it is. It's something they've 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. Andrew Mccutchen was traded to the Yankees and shaved his beard in the process. Because that was who I was. What is Another Name for a Baseball Shirt? They wouldnt improve their roster over this policy? Rougned Odor must shave glorious beard thanks to Yankees - Deadspin But back to the beards. Those policies shaving and letting the jersey speak for itself I definitely do think it takes away from our individualism as players and as people, he said. But is this a case the Yankees want to risk? [39] Although no member of the Reds had sported facial hair since 1902, general manager Bob Howsam put a formal ban into place in 1967. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 1 Anthony Volpe, The 25 Most Surprising Seasons in Yankees History. Well, he wanted the team to be looked at as more professional and stand out almost as if they were the military. The Yankees' no-beard policy dates back to the late 19th century, when the team was founded by John J. McGraw and Frank Farrell. Skip to content. Aside from the Yankees, most teams in baseball sport beards these days, and that most definitely includes the Cardinals. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. It was outdated 30 years ago when Don Mattingly was benched for an August 1991 game because he refused a directive from above (George Steinbrenner was suspended, but it was clearly from him) to shorten the length of his hair. Thats not something I want to be a part of., Even some recent former Yankees have been dismissive of the teams stringent attitude toward personal grooming. Finally, some players may simply prefer the way they look without facial hair! In 1991, Don Mattingly was taken off of the Yankees' lineup for a day when he refused to cut his hair. Why do the Yankees players not have names on their jerseys? Im not someone who automatically hates the Yankees, but their slavish adherence to a nearly-50-year-old policy one instituted by a man dead for more than a decade speaks to the arrogance of a club thats hard to love. Legend has it that in the early days of professional baseball, the visiting team had no access to laundry facilities and thus the players were not able to clean their uniforms. One of the biggest reasons why Yankees players dont have beards is simply because of personal preference. The most recent instance came earlier this month, when the club announced they were trading for New York Mets relief pitcher Miguel Castro. Im a true connoisseur of the game. Frequent answer: What is a New York pork chop? The Yankees went on to win 8-4. Question: Why can't the new york yankees have facial hair? New York Yankees appearance policy - Wikipedia They wanted to avoid an entire ordeal over the unenforceable policy even if that meant passing up on a potential asset. [4], In 1972, Oakland Athletics player Reggie Jackson appeared at spring training sporting a full beard. 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. Today we could have had Bryce Harper, but he wouldnt shave, so we refused to take him. Stubble used to be considered rough and ungroomed, then it became sexy. A Whitey Ford signed Photo is worth about $50. The rule was that no male player, coach, or executive may wear any facial hair except for a mustache. The mailbag zeroes in on the infield jam with a particular solution being pitched. pic.twitter.com/aAO5LPpZjL, Mike Dro (@MikeDro_) November 21, 2021. While the Yankees don't allow players to grow beards, they can grow mustaches. I know its something that theyre into and theyre doing for themselves, but I dont think it really helps our image., Some opponents have given the hairy Yankees players nicknames. After that point, individual managers began to tighten or relax their teams' grooming standards as they saw fit. I can tell you the batting average for any player, the ERA for any pitcher, and the records for any team. Long hair can be a useful distraction on the field especially for pitchers. Likewise, why do the Yankees not allow beards? [46] Mattingly softened the Marlins' grooming policy before the 2017 season,[47] and when Derek Jeter, another former Yankee, became CEO of the franchise in 2018, he promised that players could keep their facial hair as long as it was "well groomed".[48]. The New York Yankees saw their season end in early October after a loss to the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card, which has given the Yankees roster a solid eight weeks to exercise free will with their own personal appearance. And1: 60,606. Clean cut is the way a team needs to be. Trends. )[33] Clint Frazier, whose curly red hair was declared "a distraction",[34][35] joked on Twitter, "here's to leaving my razor at home" after joining the Chicago Cubs. In an interview with the New York Times, Betances said that he thinks beards are cool and that he likes how they make him look. Ill try to explain it to them at a meeting. The clean-cut Yankees have one World Series title this century. Why Don't Yankees Players Have Beards? So it is The House That Ruth Built kind of. Likewise, why do the Yankees not allow beards? Were not going to pretend were something we arent. It's Time for the New York Yankees to Modernize Their Facial Hair I'm wonder if he had chosen not to shave, what Will Vin Sant Leave You Jacked or Scammed? He writes about film and pop culture for Screen International, Rolling Stone and Vulture. Exploring the 3,000 Hits and 700 Home Runs Club. Is it Secretarys Day? Steinbrenner later recalled.