Anthony Volpe #11, Jasson Domínguez #24 and Paul Goldschmidt #48 New York Yankees’ speech during spring training on February 19, 2025 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tan, Florida The city of Pa was held.
New York Yankees | Getty Images
Start spreading news: This is the first time in nearly 50 years that the New York Yankees allow players to grow beards.
exist statement On Friday, Yankees boss Hal Steinbrenner said he spoke with past and current players about long-standing policies to prevent most facial hair and It has been decided that the team will now allow for “neat beards.”
“These recent conversations are an extension of the ongoing internal conversations that go back several years,” Steinbrenner wrote. “Now is the right time to transcend the comforts that we were familiar with before our policies.”
The news came a few days later, a pitcher Devin Williams, who was acquired from Milwaukee winemakers during the offseason. photo. Williams had a beard while with the winemaker.
Yankee’s facial hair policy In the 1970s, George Steinbrenner, former Yankees owner and father of Hal Steinbrenner, first implemented it. Except for religious reasons, it prohibits any facial hair except beard, while the scalp hair under the collar is from players, coaches and male executives.
George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010, defended the rule as a way to instill discipline in the team, reportedly told the New York Times in 1978 that he wanted to “use Yankees” The team’s identity is proud of the development of the players.”
Since then, all players have followed this policy, although not without resistance. Yankees Captain Don Mattingly is famous for Bench In 1991, the incident was ridiculed in 1992 for refusing to get a haircut. episode The “Simpsons”. Former Yankee Andrew McCutchen explain In 2020, he had a hard time joining the team when he still had braids, wearing braids early in his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and calling for franchise changes.
This tradition also sets some quasi-Yankees apart: General Manager Brian Cashman said in 2013 that he ruled out trading Because Wilson refused to shave, because pitcher Brian Wilson. pitcher David Price explain In 2013, he didn’t want to play for the Yankees due to the policy.
Many past and present players also got rid of their beards when they joined the Yankees from another team, including Gerrit Cole, Johnny Damon and Current Sertis Seantial to acquire Paul Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger.
