Bernie Williams, the four-time world champion with New York Yankees, will be down in Tampa, Florida, soon for this year’s spring training to see how his old team is shaped for another season.
While he is down there, however, there may be a pretty sharp difference in terms of the appearance of these players because of the scraping of a tradition he was used to during his play days.
Yankee’s General Managing Partner Hal Steinbrenner published the shocking message that the non-facial hair policy that his father, deceased George M. Steinbrenner, introduced in 1976, would not be anymore.
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Former New York Yanke’s outfielder Bernie Williams at Yankee Stadium. (Wendell Cruz-usa Today Sports)
As such, Yankees players, coaches and employees are allowed to have “well-groomed beards.” Nykommer like Closer Devin Williams, who has already shaved his signature beard from his days with Milwaukee Brewers, is among those who could start letting their facial hair grow out again.
For Williams, it will definitely take some to get used to the fact that Yankees is allowed to do this, which is why he told Pakinomist Digital that he had “mixed feelings” about this change – one that ends 50 years of a Yankee’s staple.
“I have some mixed feelings because it as a young player is quite difficult to keep it clean, shave [look] Day after day, “Williams and Lo said as he also discussed his important tune for the lung health initiative.” As a rebel scolder who plays professional sports, you get all these accolades and you feel like you’re on top of the world and you can do whatever you want.
Yankees -Annoncør Michael Kay Reats to the team’s ‘seismic’ facial hair policy change
“But I think the particular rule, first and foremost, held us together as a team-something that everyone had to do. It didn’t matter how much money you made on the team, from the rookie guy, to the highest paid player, who everyone had to have that facial hair out of the way. It was a thing that was a common thing to bind.
“The other side of the coin, it was a little annoying to get it through day out and day out.”
For Williams, the rule was something that made Yankees stand out than the signature pin tips.
“We had to have this policy and people loved it,” he explained. “‘These guys are so pure cut and they look so neat. I want to be affiliated with this team because they have this policy and they will represent themselves in the best possible way.'”
However, the love of politics has clearly changed since he was last in the game in 2006, and he understands how changing times lead to changing mindset.
“I get the fact that people push back, we live in a different time, and I guess it’s a little trendy to have a nice, well -groomed beard or facial hair,” he said.
But where Williams draws the line, this is where Yankee’s Captain Aaron judge practically did when he discussed the facial hair rule, which potentially gives a free agent other thoughts of joining the organization-which have the most professional sports titles of all time.
Formerly Yankee Bernie Williams plays National Anthem on guitar during the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Wednesday, September 8 in Cooperstown, New York. The ceremony honored the members of the class in 2020: Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons and Larry Walker. (IMagn)
“I think in my mind and I don’t know how other people take it, facial hair is just a trivial thing,” Williams said, smiling. “If you don’t want to play for one of the best franchises in sports because you have a facial problem – I mean some people can’t even grow a beard properly. So I think it’s a bit of a trivial point and you have worse problems if you think, ‘I don’t want to play for yankees because I don’t want to cut my hair.’ It would be some other problems you have to do with.
Yankees also makes some changes to the music played in Bronx after home loss, which shows that the organization seems to modernize a little.
Williams, however, knows the tradition and nostalgia that Yankees will remain.
So maybe introducing another jersey, something fans have been discussing for years, is not in the cards yet.
New York Yankee’s former outfielder Bernie Williams, #51, on 2019 Yankee’s Old Timers’ Day Game at Yankee Stadium. (Wendell Cruz-usa Today Sports)
Then again …
“I think if you make it tastefully, you try not to hit people upside down with a huge, sudden change. You gradually do it with good taste, I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Williams said.
Williams will have to look at the beards first.
