New York (AFP) – It’s a hair-raising situation, but the New York Yankees have had to face facts, so the club announced Friday it will change its facial hair policy, allowing players to have “well-groomed beards” moving forward. Hal Steinbrenner, managing general partner for the Major League Baseball team, revealed the move, tweaking a policy that began in the 1970s and grudgingly allowed mustaches.
“In recent weeks, I’ve spoken to a large number of current and former 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 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 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.”
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Players joining the Yankees who have abundant facial hair have had to shave it off in prior seasons. Among those who Steinbrenner spoke with about the policy change were current Yankee star slugger Aaron Judge, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, and pitcher Gerritt Cole. “It’s appropriate. It makes sense,” Cole said. “It still embodies our look and neatness, but allows for some individual freedom and a few less razor burns.”
The Yankees plan to have parameters to decide what beards have a clean and disciplined look, with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman citing famously long beards from a television show in saying, “We’re not trying to look like Duck Dynasty.” There was concern the Yankees could one day miss out on a free agent they want to sign because of the former policy, New York manager Aaron Boone saying, “We never want to miss out on one player. If we miss out on one player because of that, that’s too many.”
Wrexham FC co-chairmen and US actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney posted on X a reply to the Yankees facial policy message announcing their own facial policy changes and tweaking the baseball side by saying, “These most recent conversations are an extension of internal dialogue that dates back several minutes. Ultimately, the decision rests with us, and after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to require our players and uniformed personnel to all maintain ridiculous beards and obnoxious goatees moving forward. ‘Ye Olde Timey’ mustache styles will be approved on a case-by-case basis.”
The Yankees’ former policy dates to the purchase of the club by George M. Steinbrenner, who supposedly couldn’t identify players’ faces but was unhappy at long sideburns, long hair, and unkempt mustaches.
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