Tune in tomorrow for Chapter 13 of As the World Turns., Dirt Dogs: Charlie Hustle and Thurman Munson#Yankees #TheBronxZoo pic.twitter.com/3bW680IBUd, But future sagas with other players were inevitable. You want them to be able to represent themselves and their families and the organization. Prior to that, players were required to maintain a clean- shaven look. Maybe I dont belong in the organization anymore, Mattingly said after his benching. If you put numbers on the jerseys but no names, fans had to buy a scorecard to figure out which player was which. Cortes has been super in 2021, but his shirt features a nickname that has been used to describe one of the most important Yankees this season: Nasty Nestor. Chapman throws left-handed and bats right-handed. 1 Anthony Volpe, The 25 Most Surprising Seasons in Yankees History. [16], The Yankees' appearance policy has also led to clashes between management and players who refuse to conform to Steinbrenner's standards. Its something theyve done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule persisted as some long-held tribute to Steinbrenner despite changes throughout the organization. Tim Grierson is a contributing editor at MEL. You dont see dreadlocks, or beards, even tattoos are forbidden I believe. When Vern Rapp took over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977, he insisted that players like Al Hrabosky shave their facial hair. The future is bright and bearded. Same with beards. And why are the Yankees even still enforcing such inanity which allows mustaches, but no beards or hair lengths below the collar? Even the great Babe Ruth once posed in a fake beard after meeting some House of David players. George saw many of his team players with long hair and scruffy faces, which he was not a fan of. Believe it or not, the Yankees have actually passed up on players who would not shave. Steinbrenner then introduced the strict . I was born in 1985. What Do the Abbreviations Mean in Baseball? Why Do Ball Players Chew Sunflower Seeds? The policy was inspired by Steinbrenners time in the United States Air Force which had a similar appearance code. Make it: Gone today, hair tomorrow. Under S4037, the . "I find men with beards and men without . At least they cant be visible in short sleeves. Well, that is not exactly true. One of the biggest reasons why Yankees players dont have beards is simply because of personal preference. Is it Flowers Day? Aside from the Yankees, most teams in baseball sport beards these days, and that most definitely includes the Cardinals. Maybe this is their way of saying we dont need you anymore. Mattingly relented and got his haircut the next day, but the incident was infamous enough to be mentioned in the great 1992 episode of The Simpsons, Homer at the Bat.. The global beard grooming market was valued at $24.1 billion in 2018, according to statistics on beard care. The Yankees have built a strong brand around the appearance of their players, the way the players are expected to behave and carry themselves, the charities they support, and especially the design of their uniforms. . If anything needs to go, its not the beards but that antiquated way of thinking. Notable examples include Randy Johnson, Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Jason Giambi, Kevin Youkilis, and Gerrit Cole. Just because they're thrilled to dole out a whopping $324 million to Gerrit Cole over the next five years, though, doesn't mean the Yankees are comfortable with their new ace being himself. What did new york city look like in 1776. Having a beard would go against the teams image and make them look less polished and professional. Could the Yankees successfully defend keeping their policy? If this was an inspirational sports movie, wed be at the beginning, when the tough-but-fair leader instills strict measures on his players, turning them into champions. The 27-year-old has hit 25 home runs in 2021, the sixth-most in baseball. That same year, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price made it clear that when his contract was up, he wouldnt want to play for New York. First baseman Luke Voit told Insider that the team had grown mustaches to bust out of slumps, so there may still be a time when Odor can bring back some of his facial hair. [18] Lou Piniella, meanwhile, once challenged the rule during spring training in Fort Lauderdale, citing that Jesus had long hair. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. But is this a case the Yankees want to risk? In 2019, the State of New York passed a law that banned employment discrimination on the basis of hair. Damon changed uniforms and said goodbye to his lovable caveman appearance. Ford was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and played his entire career with them. Allow the players to develop their own . 87 votes, 90 comments. The Yankees are the lone big-league team to have a policy that bans beards. With the Yankees again the sports dominant club, high-profile free agents came clamoring, resulting in a series of lucrative contracts and the repeated weirdness of, say, seeing Randy Johnson shaving to comply with the teams policy. It is growing a beard. But one thing we can absolutely count on is seeing Yankee players clean-shaven and also complaints about why this is still a thing. In fact, there have been several Yankees players who have grown beards over the years. Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado calls Judge Bambi. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter refers to Sabathia as Caveman., Carpenter, who has been playing against the Yankees since 2012, told MLB.com, Its different. But what of drafted players and, especially, what of a traded player who is part of the MLB Players Association? They are not allowed to grow facial hair because they would be violating MLB rules, which state that players must have clean-shaven faces while on the field and during interviews. (He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee, Steinbrenner wrote in a statement about the Damon signing. Ultimately, the decision is up to the Yankees and their fans. Still, he should find time on the calendar to erase a no longer applicable legacy of his father. The most recent instance came earlier this month, when the club announced they were trading for New York Mets relief pitcher Miguel Castro. Spring training is more important than you think. No long hair. Frequent answer: What is a New York pork chop? They wanted to avoid an entire ordeal over the unenforceable policy even if that meant passing up on a potential asset. Finally, some players may simply prefer the way they look without facial hair! When other teams joined the trend of adding names, New York abstained. Lets keep going. When he told the team that he would not shave, they crossed him off the list. In late summer 1977, there was a brewing controversy when catcher Thurman Munson went a whopping 11 days without shaving his beard normally, he just had a mustache sparking rumors that he was trying to get traded. One of the main reasons Yankees players dont have beards is because they simply dont have the time to grow them. At the time, then-franchise owner George Steinbrenner pushed for the team to adopt a grooming policy. [25], Sportswriters have criticized the Yankees' appearance policy in recent years as an outdated product of Steinbrenner's time,[26] as well as the limitations that it places on what players the Yankees are willing to take in trades and free agency. Does Hal Steinbrenner want to be the guy who gives the order if, say, Aaron Judge or any Yankee decides to carry his offseason beard into spring training? Although the episode aired after Stump Merrill benched Mattingly, the Simpsons showrunners said that the sideburns storyline was recorded beforehand, and that the storyline was based on Al Jean's grandfather, who held his own strict appearance policy. Here, without further ado, is an extensive list of the most common reasons why so many current MLB players grow out their beards. Steinbrenner, who had previously spent time in the United States Air Force and adhered to their strict grooming standards,[9] became incensed when, during the Yankees' Opening Day game against the Cleveland Indians, his players removed their baseball caps for "The Star-Spangled Banner" and subsequently displayed their shaggy hair. Here's a look at why don't Yankees players have. "[19] One of the strongest moments of dissent came during the 1991 New York Yankees season, when Don Mattingly was fined and removed from the starting lineup for refusing to cut his hair. Those policies shaving and letting the jersey speak for itself I definitely do think it takes away from our individualism as players and as people, he said. exercise free will with their own personal appearance. Here's what you need to know about the Yankees' appearance policy, one that pushes players to trade gangly beards for shaven mustaches. He looked noticeably different when he reported to the Yankees: how it started how its going pic.twitter.com/uVL2OhbI5A, Its taken as a given that if the Yankees pick you up, whether through a trade, the draft or in free agency, youre trimming your facial hair. In recent years, the Yankees have taken an even more lenient stance, allowing players to grow beards and goatees as long as they are neatly trimmed. 15, Thurman Munson; No. Players, too, have weighed in on the debate. It all began back in 1973 when George M. Steinbrenner saw some of his players looking sloppy while standing for the National Anthem, most notably Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer and Sparky Lyle. The guy who does it in the clubhouse just came to the hotel and dialed me in., For a man who claimed hed be hands-off, Steinbrenner made sure his influence was felt in the clubhouse. When Munson ended his facial-hair protest, manager Billy Martin (who apparently had appealed to his catcher to get a trim) tried to downplay what had become a bit of a local news story. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Would they really want to be seen as an organization that would go to a grievance against a player over hair facial or long? Some players have taken advantage of the rule . Now that his pockets are deeper, the big righty insists he'd have . The league has never had a facial hair or beard policy for players. In a highly competitive and image-conscious industry like Major League Baseball, players often go to great lengths to create and uphold a certain image, and facial hair can be seen as disruptive to that. Don Mattingly himself had a run in with George Steinbrenner about his. For example, the Yankees do not display their players' names on either their home or road jerseys. It was outdated 30 years ago when Don Mattingly was benched for an August 1991 game because he refused a directive from above (George Steinbrenner was suspended, but it was clearly from him) to shorten the length of his hair. Today we could have had Bryce Harper, but he wouldnt shave, so we refused to take him. Whether its through my knowledge of the game or my newfound enthusiasm for the modern game, Im always ready to lend a helping hand! For these reasons, many players choose to shave their beards off during the season so that they can perform at their best. I think it looks bad. Would the Yankees void a deal if the baseball equivalent of James Harden, someone like San Diegos Fernando Tatis Jr. or Torontos Vladimir Guerrero Jr., refused a request to trim his hair and shave? And in this age, doesnt it now feel like the crisis you can see heading toward town, so if you can avoid it, why not? 9. Los Angeles Dodgers ($3.4 Billion) Boston Red Sox ($3.3 Billion) Chicago Cubs ($3.2 Billion) San Francisco Giants ($3.1 Billion) New York Mets ($2.4 Billion) St. Philadelphia Phillies ($2 Billion) Who is the poorest MLB team? The Yankees also have a rule about the length a player's hair can be; players' hair can't go past their shoulders. Most Surprising NYY Seasons: 2019 Mike Tauchman. Cole was sharp, and the King has returned. Why do Yankees have pinstripes? The Yankees no-beard policy dates back to the late 19th century, when the team was founded by John J. McGraw and Frank Farrell. Personal grooming policy instituted by the New York Yankees, Logos and uniforms of the New York Yankees, "A History With Hair as Old as Baseball Itself", "Today in Baseball History: Oakland's Mustache Gang is born", "TBT: '72 A's hold memorable 'Mustache Day', "Andrew McCutchen Is Right to Question the Yankees' Outdated Grooming Policy", "First Look at Rougned Odor's Clean-Shaven Face With Yankees", "Cole's 1st side effect in pinstripes? For example, the Yankees do not display their players' names on either their home or road jerseys. And thats just a ridiculous thing for a front office to take into account when it comes to evaluating players: How attached is he to his beard? The Yankees have a long-standing tradition of being clean-shaven, but some players are bucking the trend. One reason is that they may fear being ridiculed by fans and the media. The Yankees have won more World Series than any other club, but when Steinbrenner bought them in 1973, it had been nearly a decade since theyd made the playoffs. They could also grow sideburns or mutton chops. We all know what it is. So without free agency or trades to focus on, I have decided to tackle a really big issue. In an effort to make the Yankees stand out . These are the players who must avoid the Bronx at all costs, lest we be deprived of their amazing beards: Bryce Harper Steinbrenner later added, He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee.. In April 1977, Dock Ellis was traded to the Oakland Athletics after he wore an earring while on the pitchers' mound. I am shocked they have not been challenged on this yet. It's like saying will the Yankees ever put the name of the players on the back of the jerseys. The team's wildly outdated "appearance policy," remember, prohibits players from wearing long hair and . https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/aaron-judge-yankees-beard-facial-hair-policy-rule-photos-mlb. With the coronavirus-induced hiatus postponing Opening Day, however, there are no games to be played for the. Yankee management ordered Don Mattingly to get a hair cut, who was sporting a mullet-like hair style. Im a Christian. The Yankees' policy is the exact opposite. Mr. Burke does this every day for us. Michael Burke had been part of the group that had purchased the Yankees along with Steinbrenner. While some argue that the policy should remain in place to preserve the teams traditional look, others argue that it is outdated and prevents players from expressing themselves. It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule persisted as some long-held tribute to Steinbrenner despite changes throughout the organization. [22], As the appearance policy only applies during the MLB season, members of the Yankees often grow facial hair during the offseason. Steinbrenner's policy was inspired by that of the Cincinnati Reds, who forbid their players from growing facial hair between 1967 and 1999, when Greg Vaughn petitioned Marge Schott to rescind the rule. Andrew McCutchen, who was asked to shave when he was traded to the Yankees in 2018, criticized the Yankees' appearance policy for limiting the individualism of players. George's policy was inspired by the Cincinnati Reds, who had a similar rule forbidding all facial hair from 1967 to 1999. This may be because shaving creates micro-abrasions in the skin, and these little cuts can become perfect bacterial breeding zones. That was almost 50 years ago and times are changing. Why don t Yankees players have beards? In a season with so many injuries, Mike Tauchman stepped up and performed. As a kid, I could watch games for hours. Because Aaron Judge has a beard now, and he really should keep the beard. He writes about film and pop culture for Screen International, Rolling Stone and Vulture. Of course, the Yankees dim attitude toward facial hair and flowing locks can be seen as symptomatic of baseballs play the game the right way ethos, which can often feel racist and inflexible an ethos that Major League Baseball is doing its best to move away from.