Yankees Make Another Break From The Past

 

Yankee Stadium's trademark facade. Photo by Jason Schott.

In recent years, the Yankees have adapted to current trends in baseball, as they allowed the Nike swoosh and an ad for Starr insurance on their once-clean pinstripe uniforms, as well as wearing the endless special caps Major League Baseball trots out each year.

On Friday morning, Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner announced another change in how the players will appear:

"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. 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 out 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 put in the policy as a way to create a sense of order, a military-like feeling, in 1973, a time when people grew their hair and beards out to absurd lengths, whether you were a member of the Oakland A's or a college student who didn't want to go to Vietnam.

This also is reflective of the times we're in now, when most public figures have beards, right up to Vice President JD Vance. 

Gone will be the days when Johnny Damon would be photographed getting a haircut upon arrival to New York, or more recently, Gerrit Cole's trademark beard would vanish by the time his press conference would be held.