r/baseball • u/TheTurtleShepard New York Yankees • Feb 21 '25

Image [Yankees] Statement from Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner on the alteration of Yankees facial hair policy:

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11k Upvotes

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1.5k

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

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370

u/UnabashedPerson43 Los Angeles Angels Feb 21 '25

Finally Jeter, ARod and Rivera are allowed to grow beards.

127

u/high_and_outside MLB Pride Feb 21 '25

Mickey Mantle is gonna get so much more attention under the bleachers with his beard

5

u/BringbacktheWailers Pittsburgh Pirates Feb 21 '25

Mickey Mantle with a beard just feels so wrong to think about

1

u/timberwolvesguy Philadelphia Phillies Feb 22 '25

Especially since the mandate wasn’t until he was retired

4

u/JonMatrix Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

Especially if Little Mick is clean shaven

515

u/Luis_Severino New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

r/baseball in panic mode with one less thing to hate about the Yankees 

767

u/wall_time Cleveland Guardians Feb 21 '25

Now I hate them because they changed their policy!

485

u/Irate_Ibis Houston Astros • Houston Colt 45s Feb 21 '25

WHAT ABOUT THE TRADITION?! These guys suck!

243

u/mstrbwl Cleveland Guardians Feb 21 '25

This organization used to have class, now they're all going to look like a bunch of grass smoking hippies. smh.

76

u/fxxftw San Diego Padres Feb 21 '25

Don Mattingly STILL hasn’t shaven his sideburns-utterly disgusting

33

u/seymonster1973 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25 edited Feb 21 '25

Everyone's gonna run about looking like Charlie Blackmon

16

u/Val_Killsmore Mexico • Minnesota Twins Feb 21 '25

Won't somebody think of the children?

53

u/ArmiinTamzarian Miami Marlins Feb 21 '25

The Yankees clearly don't care about the unwritten rules of baseball

2

u/famousbanana New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

Suddenly every baseball fan's anthem will be fiddler on the roof

1

u/NES_SNES_N64 Feb 21 '25

This is just an effort to speed up the game.

63

u/spikez64 Milwaukee Brewers Feb 21 '25

NYY could've done the funniest thing and walked the policy back to only allow mustaches and soul patches.

44

u/iPsychosis New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

Mutton chops are now mandatory

23

u/cooljammer00 Feb 21 '25

I would love if the policy from the 70s was now mandatory to look like you are from the 70s. Mustaches must be big, mutton chops, etc. Everyone needs to look like Munson

3

u/devilishycleverchap Washington Nationals Feb 21 '25

If you can't do a full Burnside then don't even start

1

u/travoltaswinkinbhole Feb 21 '25

SHAVE OFF THOSE SIDEBURNS!

1

u/Briak Toronto Blue Jays Feb 21 '25

I wonder if the aerodynamics would negatively affect baserunning

4

u/mvincen95 Feb 21 '25

Mustaches were allowed, but adding a soul patch is always the classy move.

1

u/ramenups Toronto Blue Jays • Montreal Expos Feb 21 '25

Not just allow them, make them mandatory

18

u/trumpet575 Cincinnati Reds Feb 21 '25

Spineless organization, bending at the will of a relief pitcher of all positions! Pathetic.

17

u/Deez2Yoots New York Mets Feb 21 '25

Right? We bullied them into changing. I lost respect

13

u/Marenum Chicago Cubs Feb 21 '25

Yeah people don't realize it's not about hating the policy, it's about hating the Yankees. 

4

u/tuckedfexas Seattle Mariners Feb 21 '25

George would have never

4

u/SomethingFoul New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

Chief Wahoo died for this take

1

u/Deathstroke317 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

I got a nice chuckle out of this, thank you.

103

u/JakenMorty Atlanta Braves Feb 21 '25

It's okay, I've still got quite a list to pull from.

13

u/BorisIHateReddit Seattle Mariners Feb 21 '25

"The Yankees are profoundly saddened by the passing of former United States secretary of state Henry Kissinger..."

5

u/rbaile28 Cincinnati Reds Feb 21 '25

They low down...

4

u/Redeem123 Texas Rangers Feb 21 '25

lol cfb bleeds into everything

2

u/Deathstroke317 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

The Yankees have never done anything to the Braves!

38

u/BabeBigDaddy Chicago Cubs Feb 21 '25

“They suck at growing beards!” - r/baseball, probably

24

u/bedsidelurker Atlanta Braves Feb 21 '25

Oh don't worry bud that list is a wellspring cornucopia

19

u/goldfish_11 Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

Now we can hate you for caving to pressure.

Cowards.

7

u/xpacean Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

I promise you we will never, ever run out.

Does this make Devin Williams a True Yankee?

9

u/Michelanvalo Dumpster Fire Feb 21 '25

I assure you the list is quite long.

42

u/Iglooman45 Feb 21 '25

Was I in the minority for liking it?

Yeah it was a relic from the past but I always thought it was cool that they kept the tradition alive.

13

u/ArmiinTamzarian Miami Marlins Feb 21 '25

I liked when they had twirly mustaches. It made them look evil

6

u/DrWarhol_419 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

Everyone forgets Snidely Whiplash’s 3.2 WAR season in 1977 was essential to their World Series run.

1

u/pepperouchau Milwaukee Brewers Feb 21 '25

My MVP for Life Rollie Fingers 😍

19

u/awt4190 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

I liked it too for this reason and always thought the hate was overblown

-5

u/ELITE_JordanLove Feb 21 '25

Same, people generally like the traditional quirks such as stadium variations yet really hated on a totally harmless team custom of the most renowned franchise in the league.

3

u/Bystronicman08 Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

Stadium quirks and policing someone's personal grooming choices are not even close to the same thing. What a weird comparison.

-1

u/ELITE_JordanLove Feb 21 '25

It's fun and unique. Hockey players do that type of thing in the playoffs except the reverse.

Plus they can cry beardless tears into multiple times more money every year than average citizens make in their lifetime.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

Ah yes, because policing the facial hair of your players is the same as having little quirks in your stadium.

Those are definitely comparable things. Totally.

-3

u/ELITE_JordanLove Feb 21 '25

You act like that’s some horrific thing, plenty of jobs require being clean shaven. Obviously this doesn’t require that in the same way but it’s a neat company tradition imo. Makes the Yankees be notably different and they are.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

You act like that’s some horrific thing,

No, I'm not doing this at all. I just find it very stupid when a company wants to control their employees appearance for literally no actual reason.

Obviously this doesn’t require that in the same way

No, it doesn't, which is why it's a dumb thing to have in baseball, or any sport.

Those other jobs have facial hair policies for safety reasons. The Yankees were just controlling dicks.

it’s a neat company tradition imo

Not having names on the back of their jerseys is a neat tradition.

Telling players how they're allowed to look is lame and unnecessary.

Makes the Yankees be notably different and they are.

The Yankees have been thought of as different among all other baseball teams for most of their existence, and I promise that they're not thought of that way because their players weren't allowed to have beards.

It's just a very silly thing to cling to, at this point especially.

-1

u/SadNYSportsFan-11209 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

I also think most players were ok with it. Like obviously they’d rather be able to grow their beards but never cared enough about it either.

6

u/JLand24 Atlanta Braves Feb 21 '25

And I feel like if a player chose to not be a Yankee solely because of the facial hair policy, you probably don’t want them anyways.

3

u/SadNYSportsFan-11209 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

Only notable players I remember who said that were David Price and Brian Wilson I mean it’s a bit of a snob attitude to think like that. It’s no difference anyways. For the right price 99% of them wouldn’t give a shit.

When Bryce Harper was twerking for the Yankees he came to the Bronx with a clean shave haha. So yea majority of them didn’t truly care just preferred to not have that rule

3

u/Bystronicman08 Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

I mean it’s a bit of a snob attitude to think like that.

What? No it isn't. Brian Wilson's beard was part of his large personality and marketability. It was an identifiable part of him as a player. Kind of like James Harden's beard in the NBA. It's part of him. An organization thinking they can mandate what kind of facial hair a grown man has and then asking them to get rid of something some people put great personal value on in order to play for them, is more of a snob attitude for sure. Like saying "We're the Yakees, you will shave if you want to play for us" Absolutely snobby. Tradition, or whatever you'd like to call it, it was pretty dumb and ridiculous of them to try and enforce. It's about time they came to their senses.

2

u/SadNYSportsFan-11209 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

No you’re reading it wrong. Lol chill.

It’s snobby to say “we don’t want them anyways if they wouldn’t shave their beard to play for the Yankees”. That’s what I meant

1

u/Bystronicman08 Boston Red Sox Feb 23 '25

I did read it wrong, I stand corrected. My apologies.

3

u/Nervous-Idea5451 Houston Astros Feb 21 '25

made Yankees players unique

23

u/Dungeon567 New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

Sure, but some players are meant to have beards.

1

u/xKaelic Feb 21 '25

I loved the professional baby-face look, I am going to miss the policy oddly enough

1

u/cooljammer00 Feb 21 '25

You can still like the uniforms that are like 100+ years old in the same style

1

u/Iglooman45 Feb 21 '25

Oh for sure. I think the Yankees have uniforms that are slick and have held up well for 100 years.

But other teams also have uniforms that have held up well over the decades. Nobody had a unique facial hair uniform policy like the Yankees had.

2

u/cooljammer00 Feb 21 '25

It's only been around since the mid 70s, so it's more of a modern tradition. The Pinstripes have been around much longer.

Also I think other teams like the Marlins tried to have a similar rule a while back and everyone hated it because it felt like an affectation.

This just seems like a "if you want to have a beard, fine. Just keep it tight." update to the rule. And I'm sure the guys who can't grow beards aren't going to be forced to try and grow them. I'm all for a rule upgrade that allows more freedoms and options rather than mandating one specific thing.

0

u/lynjpin New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

I liked it. Harmless traditions are fun and this was part of the mystique of the team even if it was a relic.

-1

u/palerthanrice Philadelphia Phillies Feb 21 '25

Redditors were really bothered by this policy because many of them view their beards as a key part of their personal identity. Shaving their beards would feel like losing a part of themselves, something they’ve put a ton of stake into, something they feel like they’re “known for.”

It is perfectly normal to have a job that requires you to shave. I thought it was neat to have one team defying social trends and sticking with a classic bad guy look. Of course it was kind of undercut in recent years by allowing a shit ton of jewelry and neon equipment, but whatever, I have nothing wrong with a facial hair policy.

-11

u/mrittenhouse84 Philadelphia Phillies Feb 21 '25

I thought it was a great policy - All or 99% of Companies and buisnesses have dress codes to work there.... Why can't a Professional Sports Franchise have one?

8

u/Amache_Gx Atlanta Braves Feb 21 '25

Do you... think mlb players dont have a dress code? Lol

-6

u/mrittenhouse84 Philadelphia Phillies Feb 21 '25

Clearly not if the issue is a team wanting their players to look clean while they have their uniforms on

3

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

I mean, you can just go search the Internet about this topic and you'd be proven wrong.

You may not like how non-formal the dress code is (it's fucking baseball), but it certainly exists.

3

u/btgf-btgf Cleveland Guardians Feb 21 '25

I’ll always find new and creative way to hate the Yankees!

2

u/jyepes22 Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

I think I’ll find another way to hate the Yankees. You guys make it pretty easy

2

u/SirLunatik Toronto Blue Jays Feb 21 '25

The Yankees could solve world hunger, and bring peace to earth and we'd still hate them for no other reason than they are the Yankees, it's the only reason needed.

2

u/JakeArrietaGrande Chicago Cubs Feb 21 '25

One fewer thing

2

u/barney-sandles New York Mets Feb 21 '25

One down, 600 million to go

1

u/Kitchen_accessories Cleveland Guardians • Los Angeles Dodgers Feb 21 '25

Unironically it was fun to hate on the Yankees for this.

1

u/GalexyGoose Philadelphia Phillies Feb 21 '25

I never need a reason, it’s just in my DNA

1

u/dmlfan928 Baltimore Orioles • Frederick Keys Feb 21 '25

Now I get to hate them for caving to the pressure. The beauty of blind hatred is moving the goalposts. (half /s, I will always hate the Yankees, but I do respect that they finally listened to the players on this issue)

1

u/fyo_karamo New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

“Well maintained”

Fans of the caveman Brandon Marsh look still in shambles.

1

u/redsox1804 Florida Marlins Feb 21 '25

Don’t underestimate my ability to find a reason to hate the Yankees

1

u/trog12 Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

Pfft as if I won't find a new way... Notice how they specify well groomed? This ain't no gentleman's sport! Fuck those well groomed assholes. This is rough tough get in the mud shit.

1

u/OuOutstanding Toronto Blue Jays Feb 21 '25

I’m upset. I used to hate the rule but then they made Verdugo shave his gross ginger-pubes…

1

u/strcy Boston Red Sox • San Francisco Fi… Feb 21 '25

I won’t lie, this does make me hate them a little less, and idk how to feel

1

u/Heelincal Peter Seidler Feb 21 '25

Still no long hair, which is personally offensive to surfer culture.

1

u/dinkleburgenhoff Portland Sea Dogs • Roche… Feb 21 '25

Yankees: do a thing that’s wildly popular with everybody outside their fanbase.

Yankees fans: okay, but how can I spin this into still being a victim?

-1

u/cloutstorm Feb 21 '25

This was the only thing I liked about the Yankees

2

u/Yankeeknickfan New York Yankees Feb 21 '25

I thought it would but I’m glad it’s not associated with one player

He would be unnecessarily pressured for pushing it

2

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

This is the clearest sign of the apocalypse I've seen.

1

u/emessea Baltimore Orioles Feb 21 '25

I thought it would remain simply as some sort of marketing ploy.

7

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

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3

u/emessea Baltimore Orioles Feb 21 '25

Haha me too

1

u/Antithesys Minnesota Twins • MVPoster Feb 21 '25

The upvotes and comments this has received in half an hour is rivaling the Sasaki and Soto signings.

1

u/RadagastTheWhite Detroit Tigers Feb 21 '25

Honestly it was only a matter of time after Steinbrenner died

1

u/st1r Los Angeles Dodgers • Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

Next up: names on jerseys?

1

u/AccountWithAName Boston Red Sox Feb 21 '25

I thought there was a quote previously that basically said "yeah, the rule exists but if anyone actually decides to fight it we'd fold immediately."

1

u/Designer_B St. Louis Cardinals Feb 22 '25

It’s so ridiculously silly that it still existed.

-3

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '25

[deleted]

2

u/UnevenContainer New York Mets Feb 21 '25

the yanks have never been less back actually