The policy is the same for every player, short hair and clean face. To illustrate, in 2013 a security guard brought suit when a new CEO required all security guards to shave their facial hair. Mr. Burke does this every day for us. Michael Burke had been part of the group that had purchased the Yankees along with Steinbrenner. Does Hal Steinbrenner want to be the guy who gives the order if, say, Aaron Judge or any Yankee decides to carry his offseason beard into spring training? It is an outdated policy. The enforcement of a professional look and a my way or the highway attitude appeals to conservative ideals. It wasnt until 1968, the, first year over 15 percent of Major League Baseballs players were black, and over 25 percent were men of color, that the leagues executives considered a league-wide ban on mustaches, beards, and extreme sideburns.. Yankees 2, Guardians 3: Holmes squanders Germns gem. The Yankees should get rid of their facial hair policy as a matter of improving player confidence. McCutchen calls playing for the Yankees "an honor," but he also believes it's time for the policy to end. I want to develop pride in the players as Yankees. While I agree with McCutchens position in general, I dont buy his reasoning. dark. Steinbrenner's policy remains in place after his death, and has led to a number of dramatic appearance changes for players who come to the Yankees from other teams, such as Oscar Gamble, as well as pushback from players who prefer long hair and beards. The Yanks appearance policy was established in 1973 by traditionalist and conservative George Steinbrenner, supposedly after witnessing several players hair covering their numbers during the performance of the Star Spangled Banner. The First Amendment, guarantees freedom of expression to individuals in the United States. That was volunteered to me during our conversations, that the beard stays on.. The Reds under noted racist owner Marge Schott held out until 1999, but even they relented to star power when they signed black slugger Greg Vaughn after he refused to shave his goatee. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). What standard is being upheld? This is the New York Yankees, a historic dynasty, not the Sheepshead Bay Little League. The next year, seven of Oregon States 18 black athletes transferred, including four of the six football players. [18] Lou Piniella, meanwhile, once challenged the rule during spring training in Fort Lauderdale, citing that Jesus had long hair. Without a doubt, George Steinbrenner has a policy and Im going to stick to it, Damon said. The Yankees' "appearance policy" has been in force since not long after George Steinbrenner purchased the team in the early 1970s. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. and losers (oh no, Lions) of the 2023 NFL Draft, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Yankees needed some help in the bullpen and Wilson was on the radar for New York. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. The Yankees don't allow male players, coaches, or executives to grow their hair below their collars or grow facial hair besides mustaches. General manager Brian Cashman even admitted he ruled out out Wilson because he wouldnt shave. Maybe that wont matter for the Marlins, a team too cheap to make waves in the free agent market anyway. Most players over time, however, have succumbed to the clubs edict and have agreed to cut their hair. The opposite scenario occurred the next year, when George Bamberger was put in charge of the Milwaukee Brewers and subsequently relaxed the appearance restrictions put into place by his predecessor, Alex Grammas. The deal was for $10 million, a bargain considering the teams previous owner, CBS, had purchased the club for $13.2 million back in 1964. Generally speaking, though, highly paid professional baseball stars had enough leverage to win the right to wear their facial hair as they pleased. Could the Yankees successfully defend keeping their policy? As a result, Steinbrenner introduced an appearance policy for the Yankees. Its something theyve done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule persisted as some long-held tribute to Steinbrenner despite changes throughout the organization. The rule states that players cannot have any facial. New York Yankees All picks and predictions are suggestions only. leading to a policy that continues to this day, whopping 11 days without shaving his beard, Steinbrenner was (temporarily) banned from baseball, said goodbye to his lovable caveman appearance, banned employment discrimination on the basis of hair, Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect, Real Italians Put Hot Dogs and French Fries on Their Pizza, The Other Drug War: Inside the World of Counterfeit Viagra, The $65 Million Art Heist That Put Oceans Eleven to Shame. McCutchen opted to shave his entire face, which was a big change for him. The fight. Serious question: can someone explain the Yankees "no long hair, no facial hair" policy to me like I'm a five year old? And why not? Tim Grierson is a contributing editor at MEL. So be it, Cole said shortly after joining the club. Most establishment types (like Wall Street bankers and businessmen, lawyers, those in the military, most parents, etc.) (He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee, Steinbrenner wrote in a statement about the Damon signing. [46] Mattingly softened the Marlins' grooming policy before the 2017 season,[47] and when Derek Jeter, another former Yankee, became CEO of the franchise in 2018, he promised that players could keep their facial hair as long as it was "well groomed". Maybe they want an organization that is full of guys who are puppets, Mattingly said, Maybe I dont fit into the organization anymore. By 1975, the end of his five-year contract, Oregon State had fallen to 1-10. Given that times do change and are changing, it won't be surprising if this policy is amended or done away with entirely. Probably not, but its funny that even former Yankees who have been put in positions of authority at other clubs dont force their players to adhere to a similar rule. [17] Six years later, when Goose Gossage was reminded that mustaches were the only facial hair allowed, he shaved only the chin of his beard, thus creating the exaggerated mustache that became synonymous with the pitcher. [11]:48, The terms of the Yankees' appearance policy were codified in 1976, when Steinbrenner and manager Billy Martin introduced the "Neatness Counts" policy, which specified, "No beards. When Munson ended his facial-hair protest, manager Billy Martin (who apparently had appealed to his catcher to get a trim) tried to downplay what had become a bit of a local news story. I couldnt do it. Long sideburns and "mutton chops" are not specifically banned. As owner Charlie Finley knew Jackson wouldnt respond to a direct confrontation, and instead he went so far as to. "i'm so excited to join the @Cubs one of the biggest reasons i chose to come here was the fan base . On one level, you could understand the owners viewpoint. Dog whistles like professionalism, clean-cut, and proper are no justification for restricting the self-expression of ballplayers. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. "We express ourselves in different ways.". Past practices and precedent matter and so, perhaps, an arbitrator would accept that a baseball organization has the right to control the hair length of an adult under its employ. That year, Andros policy faced its first opposition, from black middle linebacker Fred Milton. Well give you two minutes to cut your mustache off.. We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned, he insisted. Steinbrenner wanted the Yankees to adopt a corporate attitude. What does that mean? Maybe I dont belong in the organization anymore, Mattingly said after his benching. "[12] Steinbrenner argued in 1978 that the policy was not specifically about a distaste for long hair and more about "trying to instill a certain sense of order and discipline" that he believed was important for athletes to maintain. Supposedly, Brian Wilson and David Price refused to sign with the Yanks because they wanted to retain their facial hair. Reflecting a rebellion by the counter culture in the 1960s and 1970s, numerous young people decided to radically change the way they dress, grow their hair long, and grow mustaches and beards. How concerning is Aaron Judges right hip situation? In 2013, the eccentric San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson told the Yankees that he wouldnt shave his magnificent beard, ending any possible talks of him signing with the team. The story goes that, at the Yankees first home game of the 1973 season, he noticed during the National Anthem when the players had their hats off that their hair was too long for his liking. It aint athletic., That year, Andros policy faced its first opposition, from black middle linebacker Fred Milton. Oregon State failed to recruit a single black player in 1970. Those familiar with McCutchens renaissance efforts to resurrect the Pittsburgh Pirates from the abyss of Major League Baseball are aware that he always sported facial hair. As Sheryl Ring wrote in 2019, New York state passed a new law (S.04037 /A.4204) that forbids discrimination as it pertains to facial hair; in addition to the state law that prohibits employers from regulating hair styles/length (A07797A). On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). What would happen if say, I dont know Aaron Judge showed up to spring training and said he was keeping the beard? Im afraid Im going to look 16, he said. All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen joined New York in 2018, dutifully shaving off his beard, but he ripped the policy in 2020 after leaving the club. The Yankees' policy has been criticized by sportswriters as outdated, and by marketing officials for limiting the self-expression of players, thus also limiting their personal brands. When he told the team that he would not shave, they crossed him off the list. Just back from a vacation and, well, look at that, still in a lockout. After that point, individual managers began to tighten or relax their teams' grooming standards as they saw fit. Is this something the Yankees really want to defend in 2022? [43] Although Girardi's tenure with the Marlins lasted for only one season,[44] Mattingly attempted to resurrect his facial hair policies ten years later when he was appointed the Marlins' manager,[45] a decision which was criticized considering his own history with the Yankee's policy. But when the rule was enacted, Steinbrenner said he wanted to adopt the corporate attitude. Reds owner Marge Schott ultimately reversed the policy on February 16, 1999, in a bid to retain outfielder Greg Vaughn, who lobbied to retain the goatee he had grown with the San Diego Padres. The Yankees' controversial hair policy has finally paid off. exercise free will with their own personal appearance. (In fact, he ended his career in 1986 rather than agreeing to shave it off to be a member of the Cincinnati Reds, which didnt allow facial hair.) For more information, please see our That was how I expressed myself. In 2013, the Yankees passed on pursuing notably bearded relief pitcher Brian Wilson because Wilson told the Yankees he would not be shaving. Owner Jeffrey Loria wants to be a puppetmaster, just as George Steinbrenner and Marge Schott and Dee Andros before him, and control the images and identities of his young workers. The New York Yankees hair (or otherwise known as "appearance") policy has been a talking point ever since it was enacted back in 1973. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. Andrew McCutchen made an important comment on the Yankees restrictions against individualism. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). I was born in 1985. David Price made headlines in 2013 when he said he wouldnt sign with the Yankees or any other team that maintained a no facial hair policy. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. Now we have the language of the rule, but Im still not satisfied with why the rule was put into place. [24] Although the group mustache growth ended that May after the team went on a 110 losing streak, individual Yankees have carried on their own mustache traditions, growing them out or shaving them based on their perceived personal performance. Chances are it wont last long this time either. [5] As more of his players grew them, Finley began to like the mustaches, and the 1972 Athletics were soon nicknamed "The Mustache Gang". Yankees players use the mustache exception to their restrictive facial-hair policy to break out of slumps, slugger Luke Voit reveals. I wouldnt sign a long-term deal there. "I definitely do think it takes away from our individualism as players and as people," McCutchen said on"The Sports Bubble" podcast. [21] The incident was parodied in the Simpsons episode "Homer at the Bat", which aired February 1992, in which Mattingly clashes with Mr. Burns over the length of his sideburns, which only Mr. Burns could see. I woke up this morning, got a shave and came here. New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit. Dmitri Young, a black outfielder with the Reds when Vaughn signed. In April 1977, Dock Ellis was traded to the Oakland Athletics after he wore an earring while on the pitchers' mound. In 1991, Don Mattingly, one of the most beloved of the Yankees during the 1980s who was by then in the twilight of his career, was benched because his hair was too long, provoking his ire. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). The Yankees want it neat and trim. Mattingly was furious. [29] Bill Baer of NBC Sports also critiqued the Yankees' policy for its difficulties in marketing players, citing Justin Turner and Charlie Blackmon as two players known for their beards. Eleven other wrestlerseight black, three whiteshaved off their facial hair at the competition. Andrew McCutchen, who was asked to shave when he was traded to the Yankees in 2018, criticized the Yankees' appearance policy for limiting the individualism of players. The CBA, which is expiring, would protect players from fines or suspensions over beards. It all began back in 1973 when George M. Steinbrenner saw some of his players looking sloppy while standing for the National Anthem, most notably Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer and Sparky Lyle. Im a grown man. Being told that hed have to be clean-shaven if he went over to the Yankees, Price responded, I wouldnt stay there very long then. Only to have to stripped when he went to the Yankees. You want them to be able to represent themselves and their families and the organization. The Awful, Racist History Of The Sports Mascot. They wouldnt improve their roster over this policy? He was fined and punished for disobeying their orders. Isnt baseball supposed to be a team game? The Yankees' "appearance policy" has been in force since not long after George Steinbrenner purchased the team in the early 1970s. Often, they werent aimed at restricting an opposing athlete from competition, as Hodges experienced. The Yankees aren't saying you can't have certain long hair styles (like dreads) but you can have others. Void in ONT. of that era were horrified and pushed back, arguing, among other things, that this change in dress and appearance projected a dirty, druggy, and, dare I say, smelly lifestyle. As #Movember comes to a close, we remember the #StacheSquad! But what of drafted players and, especially, what of a traded player who is part of the MLB Players Association? Although he did not sport the Afro while on the field, Gamble's Yankees trading card still portrayed the hairstyle, as did the image projected on the scoreboard at Yankee Stadium, and fans would often wear wigs styled after his former hairstyle. The decision reads in part: This evidence clearly permits the inference that some black males would be eligible for positions [with Dominos] if they did not suffer from PFB, and proportionately fewer blacks than whites were eligible for [these] positions because of Dominos no-beard policy.. No beads. Recapping the Yankees minor league affiliates results from April 30th. "I feel like maybe there should be some change there in the future who knows when but it's just one of the many things in this game that I feel that there just needs it needs to be talked about, and to be addressed," he said. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. The paper argued that the only hair policy for a nurse should be that hair is "clean, away from the face, up off the collar and not in the way of any procedure being undertaken". Of course, the Yankees' dim attitude toward facial hair and flowing locks can be seen as symptomatic of baseball's "play the game the right way" ethos, which can often feel racist and inflexible an ethos that Major League Baseball is doing its best to move away from. More and more, baseball is encouraging individuals to express themselves through items like footwear. Simply put, the logic and reasoning behind implementing the appearance policy by Sir Steinbrenner are no longer valid today. [28] Pitcher David Price, meanwhile, told reporters that he would not want to sign with the Yankees due to their appearance policy. I guess I can dig into who will be the Mets bench coach, but once that is announced, it will be the last time I think about that position until Buck Showalter is ejected and I turn to the person next to me and ask, who is the bench coach again?. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. section: | slug: andrew-mccutchen-criticizes-yankees-hair-policy-it-takes-away-from-our-individualism | sport: baseball | route: article_single.us | No long hair. Today, employees and executives of such iconic companies communicate professionalism and earn respect not by their appearance, but by what they bring to the table in terms of creative ideas, ethical and moral behavior, and old fashioned hard work. Milton was one of 47 black students at Oregon State, 18 of whom were athletes and six of whom were on the football team. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Is any fan really saying, Good for the Yankees for differentiating themselves? Even if there were such fans, should that allow the organization to dictate what their employees do with their hair? Seriously. He shaved, thats enough. Would the Yankees void a deal if the baseball equivalent of James Harden, someone like San Diegos Fernando Tatis Jr. or Torontos Vladimir Guerrero Jr., refused a request to trim his hair and shave? Ill stick to building ships.. Next. Maybe this is their way of saying we dont need you anymore. Mattingly relented and got his haircut the next day, but the incident was infamous enough to be mentioned in the great 1992 episode of The Simpsons, Homer at the Bat.. Make it: Gone today, hair tomorrow. Cookie Notice Even then, the Yankees' facial grooming policy had become mainstream enough to be lampooned by an animated television sitcom. $324 million dollar man Gerrit Cole is the newest member to join the they look so different without a beard club. Steinbrenner's policy was inspired by that of the Cincinnati Reds, who forbid their players from growing facial hair between 1967 and 1999, when Greg Vaughn petitioned Marge Schott to rescind the rule. The Marlins have actually tried this tactic beforethey had a no facial hair policy in 2011 that was swiftly overturned once they hired the goateed Ozzie Guillen as their manager. What a concept! If a star player like Judge truly wanted to take the policy down or had teammates join him the Yankees know theres not much they could do to stop them. If there's one catch to making your rounds in the majors and landing in a New York Yankees uniform, it's their facial hair policy. [40] Howsam's policy was crafted out of a desire for the Reds to look uniform and professional, and was part of a larger series of guidelines that also required every member of the team to paint their shoes black,[41] and in at least one instance cost them a free agent when Hall of Fame relief pitcher & Ohio native Rollie Fingers opted to retire instead of shaving off his signature handlebar moustache he grew as a member of the Mustache Gang with the A's. He looked noticeably different when he reported to the Yankees: how it started how its going pic.twitter.com/uVL2OhbI5A, Its taken as a given that if the Yankees pick you up, whether through a trade, the draft or in free agency, youre trimming your facial hair. Im not someone who automatically hates the Yankees, but their slavish adherence to a nearly-50-year-old policy one instituted by a man dead for more than a decade speaks to the arrogance of a club thats hard to love. Sylvester Hodges had a chance at a NCAA wrestling championship in 1969. The world has changed, and the Yanks are ironically hurting their image rather than protecting their image by continuing to obstinately insist that the rule should continue to remain in place. Now, as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies and not surprisingly, he has brought back his facial hair. Wrestling for California State College at Hayward, Hodges won the Far West Conference title without a loss or conceding a point. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had hair down to the middle of his back, and it didnt affect the way he went about his work. According to Pinella, Steinbrenner in response showed him a nearby pond, commenting, Its about seven to eight feet deep. McCutchen was a member of the Yankees team after being acquired at the now defunct August Waiver trade deadline, appearing in 25 games including their postseason run that ended with an ALDS loss to the Boston Red Sox. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/aaron-judge-yankees-beard-facial-hair-policy-rule-photos-mlb. NYY News: Judges hip may send him to IL; Franchy demoted, Yankees 2, Rangers 5: No deGrom, no problem for Texas. Because that was who I was. Lets not forget about the Stache Squad in 2015. After the aforementioned trade to the Giants, McCutchen kept his same facial hair. Milton refused to back down and was suspended for a full year and had his athletic scholarship revoked. I reached out to the head of Yankees media relations, who ignored both text and email. Take relief pitcher Brian Wilson in 2013, for example. They were found in violation of equal employment opportunity law after firing a black man for breaking their no beards policy. And especially with the team in recent years failing to live up to their potential, its worth debating whether management should let the players be themselves rather than forcing them to conform to a musty old rule. '"[37], Around the time of Steinbrenner's edict, personal grooming policies among MLB teams greatly varied based on the personal preferences of managers. [10]:243244 After the game, Steinbrenner, who did not yet know the names of the players whose hair he considered unacceptable, wrote down their jersey numbers for manager Ralph Houk to reprimand after the game: No. It aint athletic.. Long sideburns and 'mutton chops' are not specifically banned." This was instilled by then owner George Steinbrenner III in 1973. It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and. when he said he wouldnt sign with the Yankees or any other team that maintained a no facial hair policy. As the story goes, Steinbrenner didn't care for Thurman Munson's appearance during one singing of the national anthem, and he put in place the following mandates: All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches (except for religious reasons), and scalp hair may not be grown below the collar. Were not going to pretend were something we arent. He was highly productive for the Yankees in 25 regular season games -- 145 OPS+ with 10 home runs -- and his Yankee tenure was also notable because McCutchen was forced to cut his hair and remain clean-shaven. As owner Charlie Finley knew Jackson wouldnt respond to a direct confrontation, and instead he went so far as to offer a $300 bonus to his players if they grew mustaches, hoping the non-conformist Jackson would be driven to shave. Mattingly was benched by the Yankees in August of 1991 over his refusal to get a haircut; his brown hair, according to the AP, drops over the collar and is cropped closely at the sides. Is it Secretarys Day? Steinbrenner later recalled. [1]:568569 Before 1970, the last player known to have sported a mustache during the regular MLB season was Frenchy Bordagaray in 1936, whose manager, Casey Stengel of the Brooklyn Dodgers, subsequently ordered him to shave. The most Yankees manager Aaron Boone could really do is bench a player and frame it as a managerial decision (and everyone would see through that). to his players if they grew mustaches, hoping the non-conformist Jackson would be driven to shave. Yankees prospects: At least the Renegades won 15-2. The long-haired bat boy's rock band used the support he got from #YankeesTwitter to book two shows in NYC . [20] The next day, the team agreed to allow Mattingly back into the lineup for their game against the Chicago White Sox, and he told reporters that he would likely cut his hair soon of his own accord. Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankees should phase out their policy regarding how players must wear their hair. If the argument to keep Yankee players in uniform clean-shaven is tradition based, then I would ask about that uniform. [16], The Yankees' appearance policy has also led to clashes between management and players who refuse to conform to Steinbrenner's standards. The long-hair/facial-hair rule was still in place, though, despite his absence. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mlb | pageType: stories | That includes McCutchen at the time, who was as noted traded to New York. Weve seen that realization play out preemptively in the free-agent market. Thats whats up. Mattingly refused, and was effectively benched because of it. Mattingly was benched by the Yankees in August of 1991 over his refusal to get a haircut; his brown hair, according to the AP, drops over the collar and is cropped closely at the sides. lincoln avenue capital,

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