On Friday, New York Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner announced the team would no longer force its players to be clean-shaven.
“In recent weeks I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees — spanning several eras — to elicit their perspectives on our longstanding facial hair and grooming policy, and I appreciate their earnest and varied feedback,” Steinbrenner said in a statement posted on X. “These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years. Ultimately the final decision rests with me, and after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward. It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy.”
Statement from Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner on the alteration of Yankees facial hair policy: pic.twitter.com/UdEuAg3gZy
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 21, 2025
“Steinbrenner said he spoke with several players earlier this week, including team captain Aaron Judge, right-hander Gerrit Cole and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton. All were in favor of updating the policy,” MLB.com reported.
“It’s appropriate. It makes sense,” Cole offered. “It still embodies our look and neatness, but allows for some individual freedom and a few less razor burns.”
Long beards may not pass the test; general manager Brian Cashman said: “We’re not trying to look like Duck Dynasty.” One concern expressed by the Yankees is that a free agent who sported facial hair might be lost because of the prior policy. “We never want to miss out on one player. If we miss out on one player because of that [policy], that’s too many,” manager Aaron Boone explained.
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The policy was implemented by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who had served in the military, in the 1970s. “I have nothing against long hair per se,” Steinbrenner said in 1978, “but I’m trying to instill a certain sense of order and discipline in the ballclub, because I think discipline is important in an athlete. The players can joke about it, as long as they do it.”
“Winning was the most important thing to my father,” Steinbrenner added. “If somebody came and told him that they were very sure this could affect us getting the players we want to get … I think he might be a little more apt to do the change than people think, because it was about winning.”
“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,” the team’s player manual states. “Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned.”
In the 1970s, one of the greatest teams of all time, the Cincinnati Reds, with Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez on the team, were forbidden from sporting facial hair by general manager Bob Howsam, who was supported by manager Sparky Anderson. Howsam also banned long hair and demanded the team wear suit jackets for traveling.
