The New York Yankees have amended their long-standing facial hair policy and will now allow for “well-groomed beards,” owner Hal Steinbrenner announced on Thursday.
“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,” said Steinbrenner in a statement. “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.”
The rule had been in place since the 1970s when George Steinbrenner and former manager Billy Martin instituted the “Neatness Counts” policy, which forbid beards, longhair and sideburns. Mustaches were allowed.
Over the years players who sported long hair or beards were forced to trim them upon joining the Yankees. When Johnny Damon signed with the team in 2006 after growing his hair out with the Boston Red Sox, he understood he was going to have to visit a barber before donning the pinstripes.
“Mr. Steinbrenner has a policy and I’m going to stick to it,” Damon said at the time.
On the flip side, players have refused to sign with the Yankees due to the policy. Former closer Brian Wilson told general manager Brian Cashman in 2013 that he would not shave his beard to come to the team.
New Yankees closer Devin Williams appears to be the first beneficiary of the amended policy after he was spotted with a light beard in his official team photo after growing it out fuller while with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The antiquated Yankees’ policy turned into comedic fodder over the years, maybe most notably during the 1992 “Homer at the Bat” episode of “The Simpsons” where Don Mattingly gets kicked off the Springfield power plant softball team by Mr. Burns after failing to shave his (non-existent) sideburns — a bit inspired by a 1991 dispute the former first baseman had with ex-Yankees manager Stump Merrill, who threatened Mattingly with a benching until he cut his hair.
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