"[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. 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. This changed in 1972, when members of the Oakland Athletics, led by Reggie Jackson, formed The Mustache Gang. 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. Andrew McCutchen made an important comment on the Yankees restrictions against individualism. Weve seen players like Jason Giambi, Randy Johnson, and Johnny Damon all shave their facial hair and get clean haircuts when joining the Yankees. As the legend goes, its roots grew in 1973, when principal owner George M. Steinbrenner observed his team on the first-base line for Opening Day against the Cleveland Indians. "I definitely do think it takes away from our individualism as players and as people," McCutchen said on"The Sports Bubble" podcast. All Rights Reserved. [10]:243244 The players, meanwhile, were primarily amused that Steinbrenner did not know their names. [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. [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. 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Lou Pinella, who joined the club in 1974, playing for them for the next 10 years, supposedly told the owner, I dont understand, Mr. Steinbrenner, what long hair has to do with your ability to play baseball. Andrew McCutchen Is Right to Question the Yankees' Outdated Grooming Policy If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER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). All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. As the story goes, Steinbrenner didn't care for Thurman. I have nothing against long hair per se, he said. 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. Given that times do change and are changing, it won't be surprising if this policy is amended or done away with entirely. First baseman Luke Voit said his teammates grow . But really, its 2021. But in American sports, efforts to control grooming habits have a racist history, used by white sporting bodies and coaching staffs to restrict opportunities and control the identities of black athletes. Without a doubt, George Steinbrenner has a policy and Im going to stick to it, Damon said. This deeply-felt pressure was expressed in the song, Almost Cut My Hair sung by David Crosby, Steven Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young on their 1970 Dj vu album. The most infamous incident involving the Yankees and facial hair happened in 1991. For more information, please see our On Thursday, newly acquired Billy Butler made his Yankees. 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. Public Slur in 1938 Laid Bare a Game's Racism - New York Times Oregon State failed to recruit a single black player in 1970. Chris Cwik. Eligibility restrictions apply. [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. 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. [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. Archived post. 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. The First Amendment, guarantees freedom of expression to individuals in the United States. [11]:48 Although Houk did not tell the players that the order came from Steinbrenner, Jerry Moses later recalled that he "read it in a manner that let us know it didn't come from him and that he didn't agree with it". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. As most Yankee fans know, Don Mattingly openly defied the requests by the teams management for him to cut his hair. Guys will whine. . We've received your submission. They were found in violation of equal employment opportunity law after firing a black man for breaking their no beards policy. The Racist Roots Of Facial Hair Bans In Sports - Vocativ 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. Aaron Judge easily hits .300 and gets back to the 50 home run plateau with a beard. 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. General manager Brian Cashman even admitted he ruled out out Wilson because he wouldnt shave. This isnt the military. 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. Maybe they want an organization that is full of guys who are puppets, Mattingly said, Maybe I dont fit into the organization anymore. Often, they werent aimed at restricting an opposing athlete from competition, as Hodges experienced. [36] Despite admitting that some players preferred to keep their facial hair during the MLB season, then-manager Joe Girardi said in 2017 that "I haven't really had anyone come into my office and say, 'We need to change this. that it is a huge deal. Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. I couldnt do it. I talked to [general manager Gene Michael] about moving me earlier in the year. He seems to be one of the first "star" players to call out the Yankees antiquated facial hair policy. 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. Thats whats up. New York Yankees Bat Boy Scolded Over His Hair Sparks Debate - Newsweek That year, Andros policy faced its first opposition, from black middle linebacker Fred Milton. But you want them to do that in a professional manner., Rougned Odor on having to shave his beard when joining the Yankees:"I feel weird. 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? 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. Players can't wear their hair beyond their collars and can't rock garish beards. [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". [23] The policy also leaves an exception for mustaches, and in 2015, a number of Yankees began growing mustaches out of a superstition that their facial hair growth was tied to their improved game performance. I assume the silence is over concern that the conversation could move into a truly hairy area like, is your team planning to play without a shortstop this year? when he said he wouldnt sign with the Yankees or any other team that maintained a no facial hair policy. [3] This streak of clean-shaven players came to an end when Dick Allen of the Philadelphia Phillies and Felipe Alou of the Oakland Athletics grew mustaches for the 1970 MLB season. (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.) The school's student handbook, where the district's policy on hair is spelled out, states that "Boy's hair may not extend below the eyebrows, below the tops of the ears or below a . Gambling Problem? 17, Gene Michael; and No. So it is The House That Ruth Built kind of. 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.. Everybody liked him. And why are the Yankees even still enforcing such inanity which allows mustaches, but no beards or hair lengths below the collar? Generally speaking, though, highly paid professional baseball stars had enough leverage to win the right to wear their facial hair as they pleased. I loved him, but for what I wanted, he didnt fit with me. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). That includes McCutchen at the time, who was as noted traded to New York. Theres a different standard now for professional appearances, and ignoring that makes the rule a real relic of the past. 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. 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. I woke up this morning, got a shave and came here. 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. The Yankees want it neat and trim., . Long sideburns and 'mutton chops' are not specifically banned. Milton refused to back down and was suspended for a full year and had his athletic scholarship revoked. , Ive even talked to some who said thats the only reason they wouldnt want to play for the Reds, referring to their former policy. 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. For me, when I was on the Pirates and me having my dreadlocks, Id be lying to you if I said if I got traded over to the Yankees and they said you gotta shave your hair for me, that would have been a very tough thing to do. Maybe this is a way of saying I dont fit in, The Marlins employ mostly young, cheap talent. The Yankees return home from their road trip in last place. On one level, you could understand the owners viewpoint. 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 . They certainly would have a case. Aaron Judge easily hits .300 and gets back to the 50 home run plateau with a beard. Believe it or not, the Yankees have actually passed up on players who would not shave. Please check your email for a confirmation. A Black Hole Was Simulated And Studied In A Bathtub, Trapped For Hours, Three Young Brothers Rescued After Italy Quake, Chocolate Repairs Damaged Hair At This Salon, This Man Might Love Honey More Than Winnie The Pooh, How One Country Handled Statues From Its Controversial Past, These Bears Were Rescued From Abusive Circuses. Why Was A Gay Writer Denied Cat Adoption? 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. (Never mind that it also opens the Yankees up to derision, like in this great Onion piece headlined Yankees Eliminate Longstanding No Pubic Hair Policy.) Plus, theres an open question concerning what would happen if current Yankees simply refused to shave. He thought the fight was all about his coaching prerogative. Indeed, but Oregon States program suffered the consequences of Andros insensitivity and stubbornness. It was outdated 30 years ago when Don Mattingly was benched for an August 1991 game because he refused a directive from above (George Steinbrenner was suspended, but it was clearly from him) to shorten the length of his hair. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. 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. McCutchen said on the "Sports Bubble" podcast that the rule stifles "individualism . Steinbrenner responded to this critique by pointing at a nearby swimming pool and saying, "If you can walk on water, you can wear your hair any way you want. Lets keep going. Yankees Mailbag: Automated strike zone & Baders return, The 1998 Yankees Diary: A 25th Anniversary Retrospective. But perhaps the most memorable occurrence was Johnny Damon, the heart and soul of the scruffy Boston Red Sox team that came back to beat their hated rivals the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series, who joined New York soon after. Now we have the language of the rule, but Im still not satisfied with why the rule was put into place. Ill try to explain it to them at a meeting. While facial hair was common in the early era of Major League Baseball (MLB), it had fallen out of fashion by the early 20th century, and instances of players growing beards and mustaches during the baseball season became rare. 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.. If we can get them to feel that way and think that way, fine. The official policy by the New York Yankees states: 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 rule was quickly adopted as a club policy. 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. "first off, these uniforms are soooo sick!" Frazier's tweet reads. And I feel like I owe it, to someone, yeah, But Im not, Im not giving in an inch to fear. 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. We all know what it is. "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. Milton refused to back down and was suspended for a full year and had his athletic scholarship revoked. And in this age, doesnt it now feel like the crisis you can see heading toward town, so if you can avoid it, why not? [4], In 1972, Oakland Athletics player Reggie Jackson appeared at spring training sporting a full beard. 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. 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. In 1976, Steinbrenner gave an interview with the Times where he clarified his position. There is no direct correlation between having a haircut that could pass Marine inspection and winning. Those rules, thats old-school baseball. Because that was who I was. 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. This also is true for any player traded by the Yankees. After the aforementioned trade to the Giants, McCutchen kept his same facial hair. Does Putins $4 Billion Super Bridge Into Europe Violate Law? He did it all himself, Martin told the press. Lou Piniella challenged the rule by pointing out that Jesus had long hair. The following year, Cincinnati mascot Mr. Red appeared sans mustache in accordance with the new policy. But when the New York Times reported the sale of the Yankees, Steinbrenner was modest about his ambitions. If they cant, well get rid of them.. Ed Short, the Chicago White Sox GM, told the Associated Press, Our concern was to keep the proper image of major league players before young fans especially. Although MLB never instituted such a policy, there was concern baseballs conservative white fanbase would react poorly to facial hair, whether it was worn as an expression of black power, anti-war sentiments, or general disobedience. 15, Thurman Munson; No. Next. N. Frazier tweeted a photoshopped image of him in a Cubs uniform Tuesday, expressing his excitement to join the organization, while also poking fun at the Yankees' hair policy. 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. Dmitri Young, a black outfielder with the Reds when Vaughn signed. Thats a man who should commit to a beard. Ill stick to building ships.. The teams players often rock beards in the offseason, suggesting that theyd actually prefer to have facial hair. I said, What the hell is this? Therefore, the New York Yankees policy is not in violation of the Constitution. Steinbrenner quipped that if Piniella could walk on walk on water, he could wear his hair any way he wanted. The Yankees' controversial hair policy has finally paid off. The Yankees' "appearance policy" has been in force since not long after George Steinbrenner purchased the team in the early 1970s. No one ever charged me with racism. 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. When Derek Jeter became the CEO of the Miami Marlins, he said, You want people to look professional. Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankeesshould cut. I really don't get this, why the 180 from the 70's to whenever it started in the 1990's? Don Mattingly Refuses Hair Cut, Gets Ovation After Benching! 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. Over the years, the hair policy has been amended but still follows the basic . No long hair. 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. The policy states: "All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches (except for religious . Outside of that, the entire policy stands on peer pressure and tradition. If you can walk across it, you can wear your hair as long as you want., The owner, nicknamed the Boss, could be obsessive on this matter: In his book Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging 70s, Dan Epstein writes that Steinbrenner was so horrified to see photos of long-haired Yankees in the Bronx Bombers new [1976] yearbook, he insisted that team publicist Marty Appel recall the entire print run., Occasionally, there would be some wiggle room in terms of how long mustaches could be, but the policy was largely maintained. 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. Odds and lines subject to change. ", "Andrew McCutchen says Yankees' haircut policy should be addressed", "Pirates' McCutchen sheds locks to benefit charity", "Yankees' beef with Clint Frazier's hair symbolizes what's wrong with baseball", "Yankees Outfielder Clint Frazier Makes Sure Hair Is A Non-Issue", "Frazier 'excited' to join Cubs, trolls NYY hair policy", "Hair today, gone tomorrow: Frazier trims locks", "Once banned, Reds now embrace facial hair", "The goatee that forever changed the Reds", "With slugger Vaughn aboard, Reds rescind facial hair ban", "Girardi decrees no facial hair for Marlins", "Marlins require players to shave facial hair", "Don Mattingly's Marlins Take A Lesson From Mr. Burns and Ban Facial Hair", "Marlins avoid hairy situation, soften beard policy", "Derek Jeter: Marlins can have 'well-groomed' facial hair", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_York_Yankees_appearance_policy&oldid=1149457763, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 11:02. It aint athletic., That year, Andros policy faced its first opposition, from black middle linebacker Fred Milton.
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