The clean-cut Yankees have one World Series title this century. and losers (oh no, Lions) of the 2023 NFL Draft, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I understand both sides of the arguments. [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. The Yankees needed some help in the bullpen and Wilson was on the radar for New York. [6][7] The 1972 World Series, in which the Athletics faced the clean-cut Cincinnati Reds, was deemed a match between "the Hairs and the Squares". According to a 1969 Sports Illustrated feature, Oregon State University head coach Dee Andros considered sideburns and beards and sandals without socks to be dirty, smelly, unappetizing. Andros, known as The Great Pumpkin for the combination of his roly-poly 250-pound frame and Oregon States orange colors, said of facial hair, It aint neat. [5] As more of his players grew them, Finley began to like the mustaches, and the 1972 Athletics were soon nicknamed "The Mustache Gang". Damon changed uniforms and said goodbye to his lovable caveman appearance. In contrast, Charlie Finley, owner of the Oakland A's at around that same time, actually paid his players bonuses for growing out their facial hair and locks. He was notorious for hiring and firing combative skipper Billy Martin several times over the course of their contentious professional relationship, but his micromanaging came out in other ways, too. Aaron Judge easily hits .300 and gets back to the 50 home run plateau with a beard. The rule was quickly adopted as a club policy. As most Yankee fans know, Don Mattingly openly defied the requests by the teams management for him to cut his hair. NYY Recaps is the most-viewed Yankees podcast on YouTube according to SocialBlade.com. Oregon State failed to recruit a single black player in 1970. It was there where he had to be clean shaven and hair trimmed. You want them to be able to represent themselves and their families and the organization. [30] Independent marketing executives have commented on the strong "Yankees brand" generated by the players' homogeneous appearance, but have criticized the negative impact that has on creating individual player brands. Some guys like it, some guys wont, new manager Don Mattingly told reporters. Let us know what you think in the comments! [10]:243244 The players, meanwhile, were primarily amused that Steinbrenner did not know their names. Those policies shaving and letting the jersey speak for itself I definitely do think it takes away from our individualism as players and as people, he said. Astros RHP Garcia exits Monday's start with an injury, Braves star Acua Jr. leaves game after HBP in shoulder, Phillies star Harper to make return this week, Yankees place Aaron Judge on IL with hip issue, MLB parlay picks, bets, predictions for May 1, Strider's impressive strikeout streak ends vs. Mets. [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. They wanted to avoid an entire ordeal over the unenforceable policy even if that meant passing up on a potential asset. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. It wasnt just that he was teaming up with Bostons arch nemesis it felt like he was selling out and losing part of himself in the process by going clean-shaven. Yankees 2, Guardians 3: Holmes squanders Germns gem. If the argument to keep Yankee players in uniform clean-shaven is tradition based, then I would ask about that uniform. and support from black students and athletes at other campuses. McCutchen questioned the New York Yankees ' policy Sunday, saying it "takes away from . There is no direct correlation between having a haircut that could pass Marine inspection and winning. But more symbolically, one of his rules continues to be upheld to this day: If youre a New York Yankee, you cant have long hair and you cant have a beard. In late summer 1977, there was a brewing controversy when catcher Thurman Munson went a whopping 11 days without shaving his beard normally, he just had a mustache sparking rumors that he was trying to get traded. At 14-years-old, he joined the Culver Military Academy in Indiana. The CBA, which is expiring, would protect players from fines or suspensions over beards. Cookie Notice Mike Burke is a guy who I admired tremendously, Steinbrenner said. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. McCutchen, who had worn long dreadlocks as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, said that if he had been traded to the Yankees during that time, it would have been difficult to part with his hair, "Because that's who I was That's (what) made me Andrew McCutchen. For now, though, it remains a curiosity in baseball. 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. I wouldnt sign a long-term deal there. Soon, the mandate came down, leading to a policy that continues to this day: 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. Don Mattingly Refuses Hair Cut, Gets Ovation After Benching! 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). Now we have the language of the rule, but Im still not satisfied with why the rule was put into place. 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. Of course, the Yankees dim attitude toward facial hair and flowing locks can be seen as symptomatic of baseballs 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. The black students organized a boycott in support of Milton, but white alumni and athletes supported Andros. Simply put, the logic and reasoning behind implementing the appearance policy by Sir Steinbrenner are no longer valid today. Steinbrenner, holding firm to his policies, reimbursed Gamble for the lost endorsement package. 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. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. However, as it pertains to government regulated fields and private sectors there is no protection. In 2019, the State of New York passed a law that banned employment discrimination on the basis of hair. [18] Lou Piniella, meanwhile, once challenged the rule during spring training in Fort Lauderdale, citing that Jesus had long hair. Im a Christian. If this was an inspirational sports movie, wed be at the beginning, when the tough-but-fair leader instills strict measures on his players, turning them into champions. Still, he should find time on the calendar to erase a no longer applicable legacy of his father. NEW YORK Chicago White Sox star shortstop Tim Anderson accused Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson of making a racist remark by calling him Jackie Robinson during . 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. Mustaches, however, are permitted as an exception. Ill stick to building ships.. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The most infamous incident involving the Yankees and facial hair happened in 1991. No one ever charged me with racism. This also is true for any player traded by the Yankees. That year, Andros policy faced its first opposition, from black middle linebacker Fred Milton. Thats whats up. In 2013, the Yankees passed on pursuing notably bearded relief pitcher Brian Wilson because Wilson told the Yankees he would not be shaving. The moustache and beard are historical and valid external signs of black manhood and black culture, a writer for UCLAs black student newspaper, Nommo, wrote in support of Miltons cause. Sylvester Hodges had a chance at a NCAA wrestling championship in 1969. Andrew McCutchen made an important comment on the Yankees restrictions against individualism. The story behind the Yankees facial hair policy, Cortes comments on the worst outing of his Yankees career; Judge and Bauers injury updates; deGrom upset about IL stint after start against Yankees, Yankees April Approval Poll: Brian Cashman. 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. Rafael Stone, a basketball player for the University of Washington, told a student newspaper, Coaches are trying to mold black athletes into thinking white., In baseball, not a single player wore a mustache or a beard on the field between 1917 and 1971Dick Allens muttonchops notwithstandingalthough only certain teams, like the Yankees and Reds, had actual policies against facial hair. Privacy Policy. For someone who doesnt have a bit, not a damn bit of business to do with some part of my body to tell me to do something with itjust couldnt see doing it, Hodges told Dr. Jack Scott for the 1970 book The Athletic Revolution. Dog whistles like professionalism, clean-cut, and proper are no justification for restricting the self-expression of ballplayers. Langston Bradley, the employee in question, is affected by a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), a skin disorder that causes irritation after shaving. We express ourselves in different ways. A new Major League Baseball season just got underway, filled with the promise and excitement of what might await us over the next six months. What standard is being upheld? WWESubway By The Numbers: A Vocativ Investigation. But when the New York Times reported the sale of the Yankees, Steinbrenner was modest about his ambitions. The Yankees hair policy states that, "All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches and scalp hair may not be grown below the collar. The Yankees should get rid of their facial hair policy as a matter of improving player confidence. Players like Derek Jeter were ubiquitous every October, their clean-shaven countenances serving as the face of baseball for a decade. Most players over time, however, have succumbed to the clubs edict and have agreed to cut their hair. Supposedly, Brian Wilson and David Price refused to sign with the Yanks because they wanted to retain their facial hair. New York Yankees More and more, baseball is encouraging individuals to express themselves through items like footwear. Well, that is not exactly true. What would happen if say, I dont know Aaron Judge showed up to spring training and said he was keeping the beard? Were starting it in our minor league system. Eleven other wrestlerseight black, three whiteshaved off their facial hair at the competition. In 1976, Steinbrenner gave an interview with the Times where he clarified his position. But back to the original question: What could the Yankees really do if a player refused the shave? Andrew McCutchen, who played for the New York Yankees in 2018, believes the Yankees should change their famous hair policy. that it is a huge deal. Most teams did not formally adopt any grooming or personal appearance policies until the 1970s, as earlier social customs meant that players were generally clean-shaven. Outside of that, the entire policy stands on peer pressure and tradition. The most recent instance came earlier this month, when the club announced they were trading for New York Mets relief pitcher Miguel Castro. Somebody said, Isnt that wonderful? Milton refused to back down and was suspended for a full year and had his athletic scholarship revoked. 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. If they dont do it, well try to find a way to accommodate them somewhere else. In the mid-1990s, the Yankees began to resemble the championship clubs of yesteryear, appearing in the playoffs on an annual basis, winning four World Series in the span of five seasons. And Loria, should he keep this policy, shouldnt be surprised when his young players choose not to be treated like puppets and tell him no when they finally get a chance to choose their employers. Maybe Im wrong, but well see. 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. In 2016 the Miami Marlins banned facial hair but abolished the policy one year later. Make it: Gone today, hair tomorrow. I couldnt do it on some of these teams I hear about. Hodges, I cant let you wrestle, the referee told him. 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. The Yankees want it neat and trim. Mattingly was furious. Agent tells Brian Cashman that Wilson won't shave his beard. Steinbrenner later added, He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee.. . For one thing, his family still owns the club. ), 1. The teams players often rock beards in the offseason, suggesting that theyd actually prefer to have facial hair. 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. 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. McCutchen spent time with the Yankees down the stretch in 2018 after the Giants traded him to New York just prior to what was then the Aug. 31 waiver period deadline. the policy takes away from practicing their individualism. No beads. Hal Steinbrenner has important stuff on his agenda helping to get a new collective bargaining agreement for the sport and finding a shortstop for his team. On Thursday, newly acquired Billy Butler made his Yankees. Teams are permitted to have reasonable team rules, and the Yankees have adhered to these grooming ground rules since George Steinbrenner established them shortly after purchasing the team in 1973. Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankees should phase out their policy regarding how players must wear their hair. The Yankees are known for not allowing players to grow facial hair. That question alone should be enough to get rid of the rule. That was almost 50 years ago and times are changing. Weve seen that realization play out preemptively in the free-agent market. Maybe I dont belong in the organization anymore, Mattingly said after his benching. 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The Bombers are just a game over .500 through the first month of the season. [22], As the appearance policy only applies during the MLB season, members of the Yankees often grow facial hair during the offseason. I loved him, but for what I wanted, he didnt fit with me. 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. 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. The policy states: 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. 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? There is nothing more traditional in baseball than the pinstripes yet the Yankees modernized (and monetized) by putting an athletic companys logo across the buttons from the interlocking NY a few years back when MLB reached an agreement for all teams to do so. How concerning is Aaron Judges right hip situation? "[11]:100101 The policy has since been amended to read, "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. But one thing we can absolutely count on is seeing Yankee players clean-shaven and also complaints about why this is still a thing. We all know what it is. 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? Now with the Philadelphia Phillies, he recently called on MLB to question the Yanks appearance policy, arguing that we must be more open as a society and permit players to express themselves in their way. Everybody liked him. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). 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?. He was a real heartthrob type of guy. Eligibility restrictions apply. Perhaps influenced by the As brilliance in the 1970sthey won five straight American League West championships from 1971-1975 and three straight World Series from 1972-1974most teams relaxed their facial hair policies when confronted with the prospect of losing a star or a free agent target. Thats not something I want to be a part of., Even some recent former Yankees have been dismissive of the teams stringent attitude toward personal grooming. 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. Notable examples include Randy Johnson, Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Jason Giambi, Kevin Youkilis, and Gerrit Cole. exercise free will with their own personal appearance. Gossage obliged by shaving the beard, but he left an exaggerated mustache extending down the upper lip to the jaw line, also known as a handlebar. Hey, theres nothing in the rulebook about that! 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. 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". On this point, Cheryl Rings article reinforced, the New York state hair law A07797A, which banned an employer from prohibiting, among other things, dreadlocks, braids and twists. A07797A specifically, [p]rohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles. This would seemingly repudiate the Yankees scalp hair may not be grown below the collar policy. While many young people embraced the new radical changes in clothing and physical appearance in the 60s and 70s, a large number were undecided about what to wear and how to look. That was volunteered to me during our conversations, that the beard stays on.. Thats a man who should commit to a beard. Still, Schott was adamant that her club would be presenting a clean-cut image and demanded Vaughn keep it neatly trimmed.. In the meantime, baseball fans will continue to be bewildered by the sight of formerly hirsute players signing up with the Yankees, only to reemerge as strangely baby-faced individuals. As many as 45 percent of black men are affected by PFB, and roughly half of these cases, like Bradleys, are so severe that they must abstain from shaving. The Yankees have won more World Series than any other club, but when Steinbrenner bought them in 1973, it had been nearly a decade since theyd made the playoffs. [14][15] One of the most drastic changes caused by this policy was to Oscar Gamble, who was known for his distinctive Afro hairstyle, and even had an endorsement deal with Afro Sheen that would be lost if he were to cut his hair. He stayed on as Athletic Director for another 11 years, and Oregon States futility continued: they wouldnt have another winning season until 1999. Well give you two minutes to cut your mustache off.. 15, Thurman Munson; No. During a pregame interview at Comiskey Park in Chicago on July 29, 1938, the WGN Radio announcer Bob Elson asked Powell, a Yankees outfielder, what he did during the off-season. It backfiredthe As facial hair became an integral part of their look as they dominated baseball throughout the early 1970sbut Finley managed to make the most of it, as he turned it into a successful marketing ploy with Mustache Day on Fathers Day 1972. And why not? Over the years, the hair policy has been amended but still follows the basic . But really, its 2021. [4], In 1972, Oakland Athletics player Reggie Jackson appeared at spring training sporting a full beard. Tim Grierson is a contributing editor at MEL. As owner Charlie Finley knew Jackson wouldnt respond to a direct confrontation, and instead he went so far as to. 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. 7 Hal McRae; 1976 Topps; Some will argue that when sideburns meld into the mustache they become something altogether different; regardless, Hals hirsute hammers were Hall-of-Fame-worthy; #Royals pic.twitter.com/nOGdheURHp, The 1970s was an era of incredible facial hair in baseball, perhaps best embodied by Rollie Fingers, whose handlebar mustache was a thing of beauty. The school's hair and makeup policy states in part: Students may not wear drastic or unnatural hair colors or styles such as shaved lines or shaved sides or have a hairstyle that could be. When the San Francisco Giants traded former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen to the Bombers during the 2018 season, he agreed to cut his hair and shave his beard. 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.. Should he really have no control over his face? George Steinbrenner wanted his players to look neat. Fifty years later, the team still fears the beard, a silly policy endemic of an antiquated ethos that baseball is trying to get away from, In January 1973, George Steinbrenner, along with 11 other business partners, bought the New York Yankees. For more information, please see our They have won one AL East title in the last nine years: in 2019 when Aaron Boone called his group savages, albeit the cleanest-cut savages in history. No long stirrups. By 1975, the end of his five-year contract, Oregon State had fallen to 1-10. Steinbrenners military background is often cited as the reason why he didnt want long hair or beards, and certainly for generations of baseball fans the Yankees who dont put their players names on the back of their jersey, suggesting that the team is greater than the individual have resembled a tight ship, at least in how they present themselves to the public. This isnt the military. The Yankees' "appearance policy" has been in force since not long after George Steinbrenner purchased the team in the early 1970s. 28, Sparky Lyle. This is now 2020 and American society is dramatically different from the way it was in 1973, almost 50 years ago. The next year, seven of Oregon States 18 black athletes transferred, including four of the six football players. 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. The guy who does it in the clubhouse just came to the hotel and dialed me in., For a man who claimed hed be hands-off, Steinbrenner made sure his influence was felt in the clubhouse. I woke up this morning, got a shave and came here. Is it Flowers Day? As #Movember comes to a close, we remember the #StacheSquad! Yankees prospects: At least the Renegades won 15-2. This changed in 1972, when members of the Oakland Athletics, led by Reggie Jackson, formed The Mustache Gang. It is one thing for a free agent to sign with the Yankees, know the policy and agree to accept it. [48], Logos and uniforms of the New York Yankees, "A History With Hair as Old as Baseball Itself", "Today in Baseball History: Oakland's Mustache Gang is born", "TBT: '72 A's hold memorable 'Mustache Day', "Andrew McCutchen Is Right to Question the Yankees' Outdated Grooming Policy", "First Look at Rougned Odor's Clean-Shaven Face With Yankees", "Cole's 1st side effect in pinstripes? I havent shaved in like 10 years, but you know what? After the Yankees signed Damon in 2006, he acknowledged that he would have to shave his long beard and cut his lengthy hair. It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned.. 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. If youre a bigot it will catch up to you and you wont win.. Should the Yankees now adopt to modern times? After that point, individual managers began to tighten or relax their teams' grooming standards as they saw fit. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. [42], Girardi, who had previously caught for the New York Yankees, decided to implement Steinbrenner's policy when he became the manager of the Florida Marlins in 2006. This policy largely came into being because Steinbrenner wanted the Bombers to amplify a corporate and professional attitude and look. The long-hair/facial-hair rule was still in place, though, despite his absence. Clearly, the Constitution grants individuals the right to have facial hair and choose their hair length. They can joke about it as long as they do it. Steinbrenner wanted the Yankees to adopt a corporate attitude. What does that mean? Instead, they were used as an attempt to emasculate rebellious black athletes, many of whom were beginning to get involved in black campus movements. Baseball is supposed to be fun, but that team treats it like military service the few, the proud, the overpaid stars of the New York Yankees. The Yankees don't allow male players, coaches, or executives to grow their hair below their collars or grow facial hair besides mustaches. If you have social media accounts and follow any Yankee, you will learn that their favorite offseason hobby is not golfing or fishing. And although the law was more about striking down racist hiring tendencies, an argument could be made that the Yankees are in violation of this law.
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