TAMPA, Fla. — If he so wishes, Aaron Judge may now look like Gandalf.
On Friday, the New York Yankees announced they are amending the club’s long-standing facial hair policy, a directive that had been in place for nearly 50 years. The restriction, formally implemented in 1976 by then-owner George Steinbrenner, forbade players from sporting any hair below the collar or facial hair below the lip. According to the statement released by the team, Yankees players may have “well-groomed beards moving forward.”
Inside the stadium that bears his father’s name, current Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner conducted a midmorning media conference to explain some of the rationale behind his decision.
“I did make the decision that the policy that was in place was outdated,” the clean-shaven scion told members of the media. “Given how important it is to that generation and given that it is the norm in this world today, that was somewhat unreasonable, so I made the change.”
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The societal connotations associated with facial hair have fluctuated wildly throughout American history. All but two presidents — Andrew Johnson and William McKinley — had beards or mustaches between 1861 and 1913. Then beards fell out of fashion in high society during the rise of the hippie movement in the 1960s and ‘70s, which undeniably played a role in George Steinbrenner’s decision to implement a clean-cut look for his ballclub.
“I’m trying to instill a certain sense of order and discipline in the ballclub,” Steinbrenner, who attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana as a youth, told the New York Times in 1978. “Because I think discipline is important in an athlete.”
Forty-six years later, the younger Steinbrenner framed his own decision in a similar light. He, like his father, wants the Yankees to win baseball games.
“If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire to make us better, to get us a championship, did not want to be here … would not come here because of that policy … that would be very, very concerning,” he said. “I am fairly convinced that’s a real concern.”
It’s a sentiment that holds water. While most players are content with shaving upon joining the Yankees, a non-zero number of former Yankees have voiced frustration with the policy. Notably, all-world closer Devin Williams, acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in December, arrived bearded for his physical last week….