Almost 50 years after New York Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner implemented a political ban on facial hair, the team gave the shocking message to end what Hal Steinbrenner came to learn was an “outdated” rule that could have potentially serious consequences for the organization.
Hal Steinbrenner announced the change Friday before Yankees’ Spring Training Opener and dived into the process that led him to make a New policy Where players now can sport “Well -groomed Beard.”
New York Yankees Relief Pitcher Devin Williams (38) participates in spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Preferred Pictures)
As Steinbrenner explained, facial hair has become the new norm. He pointed to our country’s leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, as an example of how times have changed since the policy was first implemented in 1976.
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“This generation, the vast majority of 20s, 30s in 40s, men in this country have beards. Our new vice president has a beard that members of Congress have a beard – the list continues and continues in this country and in This world, “he told media members during a press conference.
Vice President JD Vance, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at Gaylord National Resort & Amp; Convention Center, Thursday, February 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
“It’s part of who these younger men are, it’s part of their character, it’s part of their persona. Do I completely relate to it? It’s hard for me I’m an older guy who never have had a beard in his life.
Steinbrenner continued to explain that knowing this led him to a “real concern” that the policy could potentially be detrimental to Yankees’ final goal of winning his first World Series title since 2009.
Yankees -Annoncør Michael Kay responds to the team’s ‘seismic’ facial hair policy change
“If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire, make us better, to get us a championship wouldn’t be here, and if he had the ability it wouldn’t come here because of this policy – As important as it is for that generation – it would be very, very worrying.
File – New York Yankee’s owner Hal Steinbrenner looks at before a baseball match between Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays on August 21, 2022 in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin, File)
“I’m pretty convinced that it’s a real concern,” he said.
Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as a control of the owner in November 2008, said he had been considering the question for some time, but said he spent this season actively discussing the question with players and others.
