(NEW YORK) — The New York Yankees’ long-standing policy against facial hair has finally been cut short.
Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner, the son of legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, shorn back the policy of having no facial hair below the lip, aka no beards, in a statement on Friday morning.
“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,” Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement on X. “These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years.
He continued, “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.”
George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1976, three years after he bought the team, when the fashion of the era saw long hair and unkempt beards became commonplace. Steinbrenner, a former member of the U.S. Air Force, did not agree with the style of the times.
Many players of the era — such as Goose Gossage and Ron Guidry — retained their famous mustaches.
The new policy statement from Hal Steinbrenner did not make it entirely clear what would be allowed as far as long hair.
The facial hair upkeep became a well-known policy for the Yankees with many bearded players debuting a freshly shaved face after signing with the Yankees, or being traded.
One such famous haircut was Johnny Damon. The former Red Sox outfielder who signed with the Yankees before the 2006 season, cut off his shoulder-length hair and years of beard growth to debut a look not seen in many years. Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, who was traded to the Yankees in 2005, also had to cut off his infamous long locks.
The policy again came into focus this spring training when newcomer Devin Williams shaved his beard for the first day of camp. However, he let the facial hair grow in the days after, leading some to question whether he would be forced to continue to keep a bare face.
Williams, a reliever who was acquired in an offseason trade for fan-favorite Nestor Cortes, told the Newark Star-Ledger, “I feel naked,” after shaving his well-known beard.
He can now let the beard grow free. To an extent.
The Yankees play their first spring training game on Friday against the Rays.
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