The next year, seven of Oregon States 18 black athletes transferred, including four of the six football players. 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. 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. Mattingly ought to know that. Even my daughter, she doesn't want to look at me" pic.twitter.com/V6SvOcsNuC. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 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. Thats not my style, man. 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. Now, as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies and not surprisingly, he has brought back his facial hair. Furthermore, the rights of uniformed governmental officers, such as the police or those in the military, differ significantly from other public employees (or, for that matter,the average citizen)., Nonetheless, private organizations or companies, like the New York Yankees, can set limits on grooming, dress attire and even facial hair. If you have social media accounts and follow any Yankee, you will learn that their favorite offseason hobby is not golfing or fishing. New York Yankees I'm a believer in 'look good, feel good.' A few years ago, I started dressing better for work and just felt so much more confident when talking to coworkers. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned.. But when the New York Times reported the sale of the Yankees, Steinbrenner was modest about his ambitions. The following year, Cincinnati mascot Mr. Red appeared sans mustache in accordance with the new policy. 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. "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. [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. 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. Still, Schott was adamant that her club would be presenting a clean-cut image and demanded Vaughn keep it neatly trimmed.. For one thing, his family still owns the club. Archived post. Andrew McCutchen, who played for the New York Yankees in 2018, believes the Yankees should change their famous hair policy. 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. Most players over time, however, have succumbed to the clubs edict and have agreed to cut their hair. As a result, Steinbrenner introduced an appearance policy for the Yankees. Reggie Jackson broke baseballs facial hair trend in 1972 when he showed up to camp with a beard, stating he hadnt shaved since his Athletics lost to the Orioles in the playoffs the year prior. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. However,the Dominos pizza chain found out in 1991that it is a huge deal. 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. that her club would be presenting a clean-cut image and demanded Vaughn keep it neatly trimmed., Marlins stud pitcher Jose Fernandez wasnt thrilled with the change. Ill try to explain it to them at a meeting. Steinbrenner quipped that if Piniella could walk on walk on water, he could wear his hair any way he wanted. 17, Gene Michael; and No. With the Yankees again the sports dominant club, high-profile free agents came clamoring, resulting in a series of lucrative contracts and the repeated weirdness of, say, seeing Randy Johnson shaving to comply with the teams policy. The Yanks are the only club in MLB that has an appearance policy. Eligibility restrictions apply. Dog whistles like professionalism, clean-cut, and proper are no justification for restricting the self-expression of ballplayers. Is it Flowers Day? 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. Jake Powell's racist words started a dialogue in segregated baseball and brought national attention to racism in the sport, Steve Wulf writes. But Judge can make it happen himself. The long-hair/facial-hair rule was still in place, though, despite his absence. Long sideburns and 'mutton chops' are not specifically banned. Steinbrenner, holding firm to his policies, reimbursed Gamble for the lost endorsement package. No long stirrups. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen isn't a huge fan of team hair policies. 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. Hodges, I cant let you wrestle, the referee told him. Let us know what you think in the comments! When he told the team that he would not shave, they crossed him off the list. The policy came from then-franchise owner George Steinbrenner, who believed that regulating his players' appearance would instill a sense of discipline. '"[37], Around the time of Steinbrenner's edict, personal grooming policies among MLB teams greatly varied based on the personal preferences of managers. 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. 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. They wanted to avoid an entire ordeal over the unenforceable policy even if that meant passing up on a potential asset. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). The most infamous incident involving the Yankees and facial hair happened in 1991. 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. I get that being clean shaven could be looked upon as more professional, I even had the same appearance policy in my high school. Lets keep going. "[19] One of the strongest moments of dissent came during the 1991 New York Yankees season, when Don Mattingly was fined and removed from the starting lineup for refusing to cut his hair. 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. 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. 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. It is an outdated policy. 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. I reached out to the head of Yankees media relations, who ignored both text and email. New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians: Series Preview. 1, Bobby Murcer; No. Tim Grierson is a contributing editor at MEL. Im afraid Im going to look 16, he said. Theyll joke about it, but sooner or later well get it ingrained in them. The. 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 . New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit. Should he really have no control over his face? Maybe this is a way of saying I dont fit in, The Marlins employ mostly young, cheap talent. Milton refused to back down and was suspended for a full year and had his athletic scholarship revoked. 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. Next. 7 Yankees who looked weird without facial hair | theScore.com I couldnt do it. The fight garnered national attention and support from black students and athletes at other campuses. The black students organized a boycott in support of Milton, but white alumni and athletes supported Andros. Eleven other wrestlerseight black, three whiteshaved off their facial hair at the competition. Yankees grooming policy origins - MLB Parents Outraged Over School's 'Discriminatory,' 'Racist' Dress Code The Yankees are the lone big-league team to have a policy that bans beards. Yankees: What Must Be Done About Hair Policy - Yanks Go Yard Notably the absence of it on Yankees players. 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. 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. 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? , 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. That was volunteered to me during our conversations, that the beard stays on.. Maybe Im wrong, but well see. After that point, individual managers began to tighten or relax their teams' grooming standards as they saw fit. Still, he should find time on the calendar to erase a no longer applicable legacy of his father. Odds and lines subject to change. Steinbrenner has been dead now for 12 years, but his fingerprints remain all over baseballs most storied team. 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. He was fined and punished for disobeying their orders. Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankees should phase out their policy regarding how players must wear their hair. when he said he wouldnt sign with the Yankees or any other team that maintained a no facial hair policy. We've received your submission. 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. We express ourselves in different ways. Dmitri Young, a black outfielder with the Reds when Vaughn signed. 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. On one level, you could understand the owners viewpoint. 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. The fight. 12:39 pm ET. [5] As more of his players grew them, Finley began to like the mustaches, and the 1972 Athletics were soon nicknamed "The Mustache Gang". 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 long-haired bat boy's rock band used the support he got from #YankeesTwitter to book two shows in NYC . He did it all himself, Martin told the press. If anything needs to go, its not the beards but that antiquated way of thinking. Serious question: can someone explain the Yankees "no long hair, no 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). A player such as Guerrero has no control if his current team trades him. 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? Rafael Stone, a basketball player for the University of Washington, told a student newspaper, Coaches are trying to mold black athletes into thinking white., TFW someone asks you to get rid of your facial hair. Who Did It: Cam Newton Or Some White Quarterback? Clint Frazier 'excited' to join Cubs, trolls Yankees' hair policy - NBC 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. No beads. Plus, if he felt that strongly about the policy, why did he agree to play for the Yanks? When Derek Jeter became the CEO of the Miami Marlins, he said, You want people to look professional. 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. Since 1976, the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB) have maintained a strict appearance policy, specifying that players' hair must not touch their collars and that they may have mustaches but no other facial hair. [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 Yankees needed some help in the bullpen and Wilson was on the radar for New York. Former Yankees Mattingly and Joe Girardi have twice attempted to institute a similar policy on the Florida/Miami Marlins, but restrictions on that team have since loosened. He stayed on as Athletic Director for another 11 years, and Oregon States futility continued: they wouldnt have another winning season until 1999. (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 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. Milton was one of 47 black students at Oregon State, 18 of whom were athletes and six of whom were on the football team. 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. The First Amendment, guarantees freedom of expression to individuals in the United States. Does Putins $4 Billion Super Bridge Into Europe Violate Law? 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 | [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 includes McCutchen at the time, who was as noted traded to New York. I want to develop pride in the players as Yankees. [10]:243244 The players, meanwhile, were primarily amused that Steinbrenner did not know their names. 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. As long as were consistent, I think its not that big of a 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. Even MLB Networks advanced stat king thinks Yankees Don Mattingly deserves Hall of Fame, Aaron Judge choosing Giants over Yankees would have nothing to do with Robinson Can, Alek Manoah calling Gerrit Cole worst cheater in baseball history is a take from Planet Neptune, Yankees fans are deluding themselves with 1990s nostalgia, Yankees remarkable blowout stat proves 2022 playoffs will be tense. 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. 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. Ill stick to building ships.. (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.) 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. It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule. 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. [18] Lou Piniella, meanwhile, once challenged the rule during spring training in Fort Lauderdale, citing that Jesus had long hair. He writes about film and pop culture for Screen International, Rolling Stone and Vulture. No one ever charged me with racism. He seems to be one of the first "star" players to call out the Yankees antiquated facial hair policy. 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. Not only has the rule been looked at distastefully by the media and some in pinstripes, but also players on other teams and in free agency. Upon his arrival to New York, McCutchen (like all other New York Yankees organization members), was required to shave his face outside of a mustache. But is this a case the Yankees want to risk? 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). That question alone should be enough to get rid of the rule. 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.. NYY News: Judges hip may send him to IL; Franchy demoted, Yankees 2, Rangers 5: No deGrom, no problem for Texas. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned.. George Steinbrenner has a policy and Im going to stick to it, he noted. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Steinbrenner later added, He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee.. Yankee management ordered Don Mattingly to get a hair cut, who was sporting a mullet-like hair style. [31], Former Yankees players have also voiced their opposition towards the policy after leaving the team. 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. 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. 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.. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). 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. Make it: Gone today, hair tomorrow. Weve seen that realization play out preemptively in the free-agent market. This policy largely came into being because Steinbrenner. Yankees need to end outdated facial hair policy Joel Sherman MLB The Yankees need to end their outdated facial hair policy By Joel Sherman January 11, 2022 3:27pm Updated An ad blocker. Furthermore, no team in the NBA, NHL, or NFL has such a rule. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. In 2016 the Miami Marlins banned facial hair but abolished the policy one year later. He wrote down their numbers and told each one to cut his hair. Having signed a fresh five-year contract, Andros position was safe. Rather than asking him to shave outright, Athletics owner Charlie Finley, knowing that Jackson valued his individuality, encouraged four of his players to grow their own facial hair in the hopes that Jackson would voluntarily shave. The moustache and beard are historical and valid external signs of black manhood and black culture, a writer for UCLAs black student newspaper, , wrote in support of Miltons cause. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. But when Hodges took to the mat for his first match of the NCAA Championship tournament, the referee stopped him. [22], As the appearance policy only applies during the MLB season, members of the Yankees often grow facial hair during the offseason. Sylvester Hodges had a chance at a NCAA wrestling championship in 1969. All pricing's in $CAD. section: | slug: andrew-mccutchen-criticizes-yankees-hair-policy-it-takes-away-from-our-individualism | sport: baseball | route: article_single.us | If they cant, well get rid of them.. 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. Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankeesshould cut. This is the New York Yankees, a historic dynasty, not the Sheepshead Bay Little League. pic.twitter.com/k8xhPuPnYS. I dont like to say anything about it at all. You can rule out Brian Wilson to the Yankees. But really, its 2021. $324 million dollar man Gerrit Cole is the newest member to join the they look so different without a beard club. Facial hair. What standard is being upheld? The Yankees want it neat and trim. Mattingly was furious. This isnt the military. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Long sideburns and mutton chops are not specifically banned. This was instilled by then owner George Steinbrenner III in 1973. , Ive even talked to some who said thats the only reason they wouldnt want to play for the Reds, referring to their former policy. It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and. Now the beard issue is dead. Well give you two minutes to cut your mustache off.. 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?. 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. First baseman Luke Voit said his teammates grow . I woke up this morning, got a shave and came here. 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. Ron Schwane/Getty Images. For now, though, it remains a curiosity in baseball. [2]:128 There were no codified restrictions on mustaches and other facial hair in MLB during this time period; rather, the social customs of the time preferred a clean-shaven appearance, and players willingly conformed. Still, when it comes to sports, policies like these are candy for fans who like anauthoritarian approach to team management. 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 . The New York Yankees hair (or otherwise known as "appearance") policy has been a talking point ever since it was enacted back in 1973. 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. The Yankee system isnt what it used to be and weve got to get it back to what it was., Naturally, some players rebelled. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. [16], The Yankees' appearance policy has also led to clashes between management and players who refuse to conform to Steinbrenner's standards. This also is true for any player traded by the Yankees. It is growing a beard. Because that was who I was. Andrew McCutchen: Yankees' hair policy "takes away from our and our By 1975, the end of his five-year contract, Oregon State had fallen to 1-10. 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. Over the weekend, news broke that the MiamiMarlins will be instituting a no facial hair policy. The policy itself states thusly: "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. Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) November 13, 2013. 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.