TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The New York Yankees have amended a decades-old policy that forbade players from having beards.
Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner released a statement Friday morning stating that players are now allowed to have “well-groomed beards” when they appear on the field.
“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,” Steinbrenner said. “These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years.”
The amended policy applies to players and other uniformed personnel.
“It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy,” Steinbrenner said.
The Yankees’ policy, which also forbids players from having hair that reaches their shoulders, dates back to the 1970s. It did not prevent players from growing mustaches, however, and did not outright ban sideburns or mutton chops, the MLB noted.
Then-franchise owner and military veteran George Steinbrenner implemented the policy to instill a sense of discipline in his players. But the rule has long been criticized by sportswriters and fans, as well as some Yankees players, as outdated.
Outfielder Alex Verdugo was forced to trim his previously long hair when he was traded to the Yankees ahead of the 2024 season.
The change comes ahead of the team’s first spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
