Yankees drop 49-year beard ban

The New York Yankees dropped their ban on beards Friday, 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner, in a move aimed to improve player recruitment as the team tries to win its first World Series title since 2009.

Current owner Hal Steinbrenner, son of The Boss, announced the change Friday before the team’s spring training opener. He called the ban “outdated” and “somewhat unreasonable.”

“This generation, the vast majority of 20, 30s-into-the-40s men in this country have beards,” Steinbrenner said during a news conference, flanked by general manager Brian Cashman. “It is a part of who these younger men are. It’s part of their character. It’s part of their persona. Do I totally relate to that? It’s difficult for me. I’m an older guy who’s never had a beard in his life but it’s a very important thing to them. They feel it defines their character.”

George Steinbrenner announced the facial policy during spring training in 1976, mandating no long hair or beards — mustaches were allowed. Players complied but some pushed boundaries by going unshaven or letting hair fall over their collars.

“I have nothing against long hair per se,” George Steinbrenner said in 1976, according to The New York Times. “But I’m trying to instill certain sense of order and discipline in the ballclub because I think discipline is important in an athlete.”

Hal Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as controlling owner in November 2008, said he had considered the issue for a decade and discussed the contemplated change recently with Yankees stars Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole in one-on-one meetings. Steinbrenner then issued a statement Friday morning that “we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward.”

Cashman said CC Sabathia hesitated because of the hair policy before signing with the Yankees ahead of the 2009 season and the agent of a player contemplating a minor league contract this offseason wasn’t sure his client would be willing to shave.

As recently as Monday, the Yankees had left reminders on the clubhouse chair of each player to arrive clean shaven the following morning for photo day.



(AP Photo Chris O'Meara)