The Yankees Get Rid of Their Facial Hair Policy

Image Courtesy of the New York Post

By Zachary Lichter

Imagine you have a beard and applied for a job at a company. After the president or CEO hires you, they say that they have a no facial hair policy and ask you to shave your beard. Would you take the job? This was a scenario that most players on the New York Yankees dealt with, especially for new players who were drafted, signed, or traded.

But starting this season, that’s going to change because Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner announced on February 21 that players, coaches, and uniformed staff may grow facial hair. The only condition for anyone on the Yankees who grows a beard is that it must be trimmed.

Steinbrenner felt that the tradition of players being clean-shaven was becoming “outdated” as he said in a press conference. He talked to many current and former players about lifting the facial hair policy and many of them were on board with it. While he didn’t sound happy lifting the policy, he knew he had to keep up with the times.

Michael Hopkins, a junior finance major, commented on why he likes that the facial hair policy was lifted.

“I think going from no beards to trimmed beards seems like a reasonable step for an organization like the Yankees,” Hopkins said. “I think the facial hair policy was a little antiquated for today’s day and age, and may have caused players to not want to join their team, which, frankly, is a silly reason not to join a team.”

David Zappe, a junior accounting major, commented on why lifting the facial hair policy was a good thing.

“The Yankees doing away with the age-old tradition of being clean-shaven is a classic example of the modernization of baseball,” Zappe said. “It seems to be ridding the sport of its rich tradition.”

The tradition of being clean-shaven on the Yankees began in 1973 when the late George Steinbrenner bought the franchise. He watched the Yankees play the Cleveland Indians at the old Yankee Stadium and couldn’t recognize notable players like Sparky Lyle, Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer, Fritz Peterson, and Roy White because they all had facial hair. Steinbrenner told the manager, Ralph Houk, that all of them should get a haircut so that fans could recognize their favorite players. 

As Steinbrenner eased his way into owning the franchise, in 1973 he issued a mandate that issued all players, coaches, and personnel to be clean-shaven and to not grow hair beyond the collar. The only thing close to facial hair that he allowed was mustaches, but they had to be trimmed. From that day forward until recently, every player, coach, or uniformed staff member who has walked in and out of the franchise was beardless.

Part of why Steinbrenner was fixed on men being clean-shaven is because of his military background. Before he bought the Yankees, he served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. So it felt right that by issuing a “no facial hair” policy, he could teach the players discipline. 

Over the years, many current and former players have gotten pretty creative with the facial hair policy. When Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Andrew McCutchen got traded to the Yankees from the San Francisco Giants in August 2018 he was worried that his nine-month-old son, Steel, wouldn’t recognize him without his beard. So he had Steel in the bathroom with him as he was shaving his beard. 

After players like McCutchen played for the Yankees and got traded or signed with another team, some of them grew beards. Players like St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Andrew Miller and Baltimore Orioles catcher Gary Sanchez are among the few players who grew a beard after they played for the Yankees.

So as Yankees fans get ready for another season of baseball, they are curious to see which players decide to grow a beard. Players like their centerfielder Aaron Judge or designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton might not look recognizable if they ever decide to grow beards.