NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have officially revised their decades-old facial hair policy, now permitting players and uniformed staff to sport “well-groomed beards,” team owner Hal Steinbrenner announced on Friday.
The change marks a significant shift from a tradition that has defined the Yankees’ appearance since the 1970s. The original “Neatness Counts” policy, implemented by Steinbrenner’s father, George Steinbrenner, alongside then-manager Billy Martin, prohibited beards, long hair, and sideburns. Mustaches, however, remained acceptable under the rule.
“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,” Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. “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 our 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,” he added.
The no-beard policy had long been a symbol of the Yankees’ traditionalist image, with many players required to alter their appearance upon joining the team. One high-profile example was Johnny Damon, who cut his long hair and shaved his beard after leaving the Boston Red Sox for New York in 2006.
“Mr. Steinbrenner has a policy, and I’m going to stick to it,” Damon said at the time.
However, the policy also proved to be a deterrent for some players. In 2013, former All-Star closer Brian Wilson reportedly declined to join the Yankees after refusing to shave his signature beard.
The team’s new closer, Devin Williams, is expected to be among the first to benefit from the updated guidelines. Williams, who previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers, was seen with a light beard in his official Yankees photo, having shaved only recently.
The Yankees’ grooming rules have occasionally drawn public amusement. One of the most memorable pop culture references came from the 1992 Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat,” where fictional team owner Mr. Burns ejects Don Mattingly from the lineup over supposed sideburns. The gag was based on a real-life 1991 incident in which Mattingly clashed with then-manager Stump Merrill over his hairstyle.
With this policy shift, the Yankees join the broader trend across Major League Baseball, where personal expression through facial hair has become widely accepted.
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