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. I got involved., Steinbrenner was just as proactive when it came to personal grooming. Still, he should find time on the calendar to erase a no longer applicable legacy of his father. Hodges, I cant let you wrestle, the referee told him. Were not going to pretend were something we arent. Lets not forget about the Stache Squad in 2015. Being in quarantine had me wondering why the appearance policy was enacted in the first place, so lets dig deeper and find out. It aint athletic.. He was fined and punished for disobeying their orders. When the San Francisco Giants traded former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen to the Bombers during the 2018 season, he agreed to cut his hair and shave his beard. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. . I reached out to the head of Yankees media relations, who ignored both text and email. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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? It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and. Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) November 13, 2013. when he said he wouldnt sign with the Yankees or any other team that maintained a no facial hair policy. Maybe this is a way of saying I dont fit in, The Marlins employ mostly young, cheap talent. All pricing's in $CAD. Long sideburns and 'mutton chops' are not specifically banned. Steinbrenner has been dead now for 12 years, but his fingerprints remain all over baseballs most storied team. In 2013, the eccentric San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson told the Yankees that he wouldnt shave his magnificent beard, ending any possible talks of him signing with the team. Exclusive: Nurses call for an end to 'hair racism' in the NHS Maybe I dont belong in the organization anymore, Mattingly said after his benching. But in American sports, efforts to control grooming habits have a racist history, used by white sporting bodies and coaching staffs to restrict opportunities and control the identities of black athletes. Let us know what you think in the comments! [13] The strict grooming requirements of the baseball club have led to several instances in which a player known for his long hair or beard on his former team becomes clean-cut upon signing with the Yankees. Yankees Mailbag: Automated strike zone & Baders return, The 1998 Yankees Diary: A 25th Anniversary Retrospective. There's not much evidence that the policy is hurting the Yankees on the free agent market -- money does most of the talking in those instances -- but on principle it's a bit silly to tell adults how they must groom themselves. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Most teams did not formally adopt any grooming or personal appearance policies until the 1970s, as earlier social customs meant that players were generally clean-shaven. Instead, they were used as an attempt to emasculate rebellious black athletes, many of whom were beginning to get involved in black campus movements. For someone who doesnt have a bit, not a damn bit of business to do with some part of my body to tell me to do something with itjust couldnt see doing it, Hodges told Dr. Jack Scott for the 1970 book The Athletic Revolution. Although he did not sport the Afro while on the field, Gamble's Yankees trading card still portrayed the hairstyle, as did the image projected on the scoreboard at Yankee Stadium, and fans would often wear wigs styled after his former hairstyle. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen isn't a huge fan of team hair policies. Powell replied . [18] Lou Piniella, meanwhile, once challenged the rule during spring training in Fort Lauderdale, citing that Jesus had long hair. In baseball, not a single player wore a mustache or a beard on the field between 1917 and 1971Dick Allens muttonchops notwithstandingalthough only certain teams, like the Yankees and Reds, had actual policies against facial hair. I have nothing against long hair per se, he said. He said well talk at the end of the year. And why are the Yankees even still enforcing such inanity which allows mustaches, but no beards or hair lengths below the collar? More and more, baseball is encouraging individuals to express themselves through items like footwear. They certainly would have a case. Ill try to explain it to them at a meeting. Do the Yankees actually think this policy is going to bring in hundreds of thousands of young fans? They were found in violation of equal employment opportunity law after firing a black man for breaking their no beards policy. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). I dont like to say anything about it at all. The court threw out the complaint relying on the premise that, No such right[s] exist for private-sector workers.. The policy came from then-franchise owner George Steinbrenner, who believed that regulating his players' appearance would instill a sense of discipline. The year prior, the NCAA had added a new rule declaring that wrestlers must be clean shaven, which they later specified to mean no hair below the earlobes. The rule was never enforced until Hodges, a black man, threatened to run through his largely white competition at the NCAA championships. Of course, the Yankees' dim attitude toward facial hair and flowing locks can be seen as symptomatic of baseball's "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. The deal was for $10 million, a bargain considering the teams previous owner, CBS, had purchased the club for $13.2 million back in 1964. Im afraid Im going to look 16, he said. [30] Independent marketing executives have commented on the strong "Yankees brand" generated by the players' homogeneous appearance, but have criticized the negative impact that has on creating individual player brands. This deeply-felt pressure was expressed in the song, Almost Cut My Hair sung by David Crosby, Steven Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young on their 1970 Dj vu album. That was volunteered to me during our conversations, that the beard stays on.. This changed in 1972, when members of the Oakland Athletics, led by Reggie Jackson, formed The Mustache Gang. 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. The Yankees' controversial hair policy has finally paid off. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mlb | pageType: stories | The Marlins have actually tried this tactic beforethey had a no facial hair policy in 2011 that was swiftly overturned once they hired the goateed Ozzie Guillen as their manager. In 2019 when the Yankees acquired highly-prized ace Gerrit Cole, he had to say goodbye to his beard and long hair. 1, Bobby Murcer; No. Take relief pitcher Brian Wilson in 2013, for example. I couldnt do it on some of these teams I hear about. I woke up this morning, got a shave and came here. (Never mind that it also opens the Yankees up to derision, like in this great Onion piece headlined Yankees Eliminate Longstanding No Pubic Hair Policy.) Plus, theres an open question concerning what would happen if current Yankees simply refused to shave. McCutchen opted to shave his entire face, which was a big change for him. Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankees should phase out their policy regarding how players must wear their hair. Maybe Im wrong, but well see. However, as it pertains to government regulated fields and private sectors there is no protection. pic.twitter.com/aAO5LPpZjL, Also, is the Yankee policy even legal? McCutchen spent time with the Yankees down the stretch in 2018 after the Giants traded him to New York just prior to what was then the Aug. 31 waiver period deadline. Reply . For now, though, it remains a curiosity in baseball. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned. This was instilled by then owner George Steinbrenner III in 1973. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned.. That was how I expressed myself. New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians: Series Preview. I like to see a player look neat, Steinbrenner said in the same interview. '"[37], Around the time of Steinbrenner's edict, personal grooming policies among MLB teams greatly varied based on the personal preferences of managers. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. And Loria, should he keep this policy, shouldnt be surprised when his young players choose not to be treated like puppets and tell him no when they finally get a chance to choose their employers. It has been held that, employers may set standards for their employees personal appearance, including their hair length and style, if the regulations are related to legitimate business or governmental objectives. As many as 45 percent of black men are affected by PFB, and roughly half of these cases, like Bradleys, are so severe that they must abstain from shaving. leading to a policy that continues to this day, whopping 11 days without shaving his beard, Steinbrenner was (temporarily) banned from baseball, said goodbye to his lovable caveman appearance, banned employment discrimination on the basis of hair, Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect, Real Italians Put Hot Dogs and French Fries on Their Pizza, The Other Drug War: Inside the World of Counterfeit Viagra, The $65 Million Art Heist That Put Oceans Eleven to Shame. [11]:48, The terms of the Yankees' appearance policy were codified in 1976, when Steinbrenner and manager Billy Martin introduced the "Neatness Counts" policy, which specified, "No beards. Players can't wear their hair beyond their collars and can't rock garish beards. The policy itself states thusly: "All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches (except for religious reasons), and scalp hair may not. Because Aaron Judge has a beard now, and he really should keep the beard. The Yanks appearance policy was established in 1973 by traditionalist and conservative George Steinbrenner, supposedly after witnessing several players hair covering their numbers during the performance of the Star Spangled Banner. The Yankees should get rid of their facial hair policy as a matter of improving player confidence. Notably the absence of it on Yankees players. and our The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Bradleys favor, agreeing that Dominos no beards policy disproportionately affected black men. at After that point, individual managers began to tighten or relax their teams' grooming standards as they saw fit. Gambling Problem? It was enacted in 1973 after George Steinbrenner saw his players with hair down to their numbers.. A player such as Guerrero has no control if his current team trades him. Razor burn", "Gerrit Cole joins these stars who have cut their hair and shaved to become Yankees", "Steinbrenner, Piniella and the great Jesus debate", "Mattingly Chooses Seat on Yank Bench Over Barber's Hair", "Yankees Agree to Not Split Hairs in Lengthy Tiff With Mattingly", "The Making Of 'Homer At The Bat,' The Episode That Conquered Prime Time 20 Years Ago Tonight", "It's Hilarious How Quickly Yankees Players Grow Beards When They're Allowed", "Some Yankees growing mustaches amid hot streak", "Yankees players use the mustache exception to their restrictive facial-hair policy to break out of slumps, slugger Luke Voit reveals", "The Yankees should ditch their dumb grooming policy", "A now-bearded Aaron Judge really should challenge the Yankees' facial hair policy", "No beard in the Bronx: Wilson won't shave for Yanks", "Price's Yankees hair comment bristles some", "McCutchen: Yankees' grooming policy 'takes away our individualism', "About Clint Frazier's Lush Locks: Will the Yankees Let Their Hair Down? Employers, school officials, and prison administrators have given a number of reasons for regulations determining hair length and hair styles; among them are identification, safety, hygiene, and appropriateness., However, Major League Baseball franchises, such as the New York Yankees would not fall under a governmental objective or legitimate business. The official policy by the New York Yankees states: "All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches and scalp hair may not be grown. The rule states that players cannot have any facial. While I agree with McCutchens position in general, I dont buy his reasoning. All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen joined New York in 2018, dutifully shaving off his beard, but he ripped the policy in 2020 after leaving the club. The Bombers are just a game over .500 through the first month of the season. Eligibility restrictions apply. However, I wanted to look at this issue from a constitutional standpoint. dark. Simply put, the logic and reasoning behind implementing the appearance policy by Sir Steinbrenner are no longer valid today. In 2019, the State of New York passed a law that banned employment discrimination on the basis of hair. 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? "first off, these uniforms are soooo sick!" Frazier's tweet reads. Im not someone who automatically hates the Yankees, but their slavish adherence to a nearly-50-year-old policy one instituted by a man dead for more than a decade speaks to the arrogance of a club thats hard to love. Ed Short, the Chicago White Sox GM, told the Associated Press, Our concern was to keep the proper image of major league players before young fans especially. Although MLB never instituted such a policy, there was concern baseballs conservative white fanbase would react poorly to facial hair, whether it was worn as an expression of black power, anti-war sentiments, or general disobedience. Reflecting a rebellion by the counter culture in the 1960s and 1970s, numerous young people decided to radically change the way they dress, grow their hair long, and grow mustaches and beards. Further, 13 of the 29 of the players listed on the clubs depth chart are men of color. The Yankees needed some help in the bullpen and Wilson was on the radar for New York. Bearded Aaron Judge should challenge Yankees facial-hair policy - USA Today If anything needs to go, its not the beards but that antiquated way of thinking. Yankee management ordered Don Mattingly to get a hair cut, who was sporting a mullet-like hair style. [4], In 1972, Oakland Athletics player Reggie Jackson appeared at spring training sporting a full beard. And although the law was more about striking down racist hiring tendencies, an argument could be made that the Yankees are in violation of this law. The Yankees are known for not allowing players to grow facial hair. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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The long-hair/facial-hair rule was still in place, though, despite his absence. This isnt the military. Mattingly was benched by the Yankees in August of 1991 over his refusal to get a haircut; his brown hair, according to the AP, drops over the collar and is cropped closely at the sides. Given that times do change and are changing, it won't be surprising if this policy is amended or done away with entirely. All he has to do is keep the beard. Bearded Aaron Judge should challenge the Yankees' facial hair policy [13], The policy remained in effect even after Steinbrenner's death at the request of his daughter Jennifer, a partner in the Yankees franchise. New York Yankees appearance policy - Wikipedia All Rights Reserved. If you have social media accounts and follow any Yankee, you will learn that their favorite offseason hobby is not golfing or fishing. Discussing the freedom that Rays manager Joe Maddon gave his players, Price said, Its a joke, to me, that I had less rules in college than I would on some major league teams. 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. But back to the beards. Would they really want to be seen as an organization that would go to a grievance against a player over hair facial or long? Without a doubt, George Steinbrenner has a policy and Im going to stick to it, Damon said.