I said, What the hell is this? As most Yankee fans know, Don Mattingly openly defied the requests by the teams management for him to cut his hair. Dmitri Young, a black outfielder with the Reds when Vaughn signed, told CBS News, Ive even talked to some who said thats the only reason they wouldnt want to play for the Reds, referring to their former policy. I woke up this morning, got a shave and came here. The Yankees aren't saying you can't have certain long hair styles (like dreads) but you can have others. [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. 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. 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. Andrew McCutchen thinks the Yankeesshould cut. Seriously. He did it all himself, Martin told the press. 1 Example as to why the Yankees old fart facial hair policy needs to end forever. 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. 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. Eligibility restrictions apply. He was a real heartthrob type of guy. I loved him, but for what I wanted, he didnt fit with me. 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. Hodges, I cant let you wrestle, the referee told him. For more information, please see our This also is true for any player traded by the Yankees. Do the Yankees actually think this policy is going to bring in hundreds of thousands of young fans? Now the beard issue is dead. Some guys like it, some guys wont, new manager Don Mattingly told reporters. In 2016 the Miami Marlins banned facial hair but abolished the policy one year later. The rule states that players cannot have any facial. 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. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). Ill try to explain it to them at a meeting. [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. I reached out to the head of Yankees media relations, who ignored both text and email. 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. Even then, the Yankees' facial grooming policy had become mainstream enough to be lampooned by an animated television sitcom. 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. General manager Brian Cashman even admitted he ruled out out Wilson because he wouldnt shave. I really don't get this, why the 180 from the 70's to whenever it started in the 1990's? They were found in violation of equal employment opportunity law after firing a black man for breaking their no beards policy. section: | slug: andrew-mccutchen-criticizes-yankees-hair-policy-it-takes-away-from-our-individualism | sport: baseball | route: article_single.us | 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 deal was for $10 million, a bargain considering the teams previous owner, CBS, had purchased the club for $13.2 million back in 1964. 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. I couldnt do it on some of these teams I hear about. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. McCutchen said on the "Sports Bubble" podcast that the rule stifles "individualism . But one thing we can absolutely count on is seeing Yankee players clean-shaven and also complaints about why this is still a thing. 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. 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? If we can get them to feel that way and think that way, fine. How about the august stadium? We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned, he insisted. 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. How concerning is Aaron Judges right hip situation? 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. The year prior, the NCAA had added a new rule declaring that wrestlers must be clean shaven, which they later specified to mean no hair below the earlobes. The rule was never enforced until Hodges, a black man, threatened to run through his largely white competition at the NCAA championships. 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. This policy largely came into being because Steinbrenner wanted the Bombers to amplify a corporate and professional attitude and look. Im afraid Im going to look 16, he said. I wouldnt sign a long-term deal there. NYY Recaps is the most-viewed Yankees podcast on YouTube according to SocialBlade.com. 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. On Thursday, newly acquired Billy Butler made his Yankees. All he has to do is keep the beard. [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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. If youre a Yankee, you shave. 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. 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. that it is a huge deal. 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. Believe it or not, the Yankees have actually passed up on players who would not shave. It's something they've done since the late George Steinbrenner instituted the policy in 1973, and the rule. [22], As the appearance policy only applies during the MLB season, members of the Yankees often grow facial hair during the offseason. He shaved, thats enough. Who Did It: Cam Newton Or Some White Quarterback? I get that being clean shaven could be looked upon as more professional, I even had the same appearance policy in my high school. Andrew McCutchen made an important comment on the Yankees restrictions against individualism. As long as were consistent, I think its not that big of a deal.. WWESubway By The Numbers: A Vocativ Investigation. 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. And thats just a ridiculous thing for a front office to take into account when it comes to evaluating players: How attached is he to his beard? Does Putins $4 Billion Super Bridge Into Europe Violate Law? $324 million dollar man Gerrit Cole is the newest member to join the they look so different without a beard club. In 1991, Don Mattingly was taken off of the Yankees' lineup for a day when he refused to cut his hair. 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. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the baseball responds, especially current and former Yankees. But regardless of the Marlins spendthrift nature, their policy wont last because grown men dont take kindly to these kinds of restrictions of self-expression and identity. 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. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. This isnt the military. It was there where he had to be clean shaven and hair trimmed. No long hair. , 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. On one level, you could understand the owners viewpoint. 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. 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 . See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. The policy states: "All players, coaches and male executives are forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches (except for religious . Supreme Court Says Yeah, Booking.com Deserves A Trademark Registration, Hello I Am Elliot: The Startups IP Nightmare. 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. Thats a man who should commit to a beard. [25], Sportswriters have criticized the Yankees' appearance policy in recent years as an outdated product of Steinbrenner's time,[26] as well as the limitations that it places on what players the Yankees are willing to take in trades and free agency. 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. Steinbrenner began noting which players he believed needed haircuts when he took over the Yankees in 1973, but the policy was not codified until three years later. That was almost 50 years ago and times are changing. I emailed Hal Steinbrenner, who did not reply, I assume because as a member of MLBs negotiating committee he was readying for Thursdays first formal talks between owners and players since the lockout began Dec. 2. Chris Cwik. Plus, if he felt that strongly about the policy, why did he agree to play for the Yanks? Given that times do change and are changing, it won't be surprising if this policy is amended or done away with entirely. Why Was A Gay Writer Denied Cat Adoption? Not that superstars wouldnt test the owners patience. Void in ONT. 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. [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. No one ever charged me with racism. Lets keep going. A casual stroll through the offices of Apple, Google, and other successful companies would reveal that what looked corporate or professional in 1973 does not look corporate and professional now. Having signed a fresh five-year contract, Andros position was safe. 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. Notably the absence of it on Yankees players. When he told the team that he would not shave, they crossed him off the list. The Bombers are just a game over .500 through the first month of the season. 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. New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit. Razor burn", "Gerrit Cole joins these stars who have cut their hair and shaved to become Yankees", "Steinbrenner, Piniella and the great Jesus debate", "Mattingly Chooses Seat on Yank Bench Over Barber's Hair", "Yankees Agree to Not Split Hairs in Lengthy Tiff With Mattingly", "The Making Of 'Homer At The Bat,' The Episode That Conquered Prime Time 20 Years Ago Tonight", "It's Hilarious How Quickly Yankees Players Grow Beards When They're Allowed", "Some Yankees growing mustaches amid hot streak", "Yankees players use the mustache exception to their restrictive facial-hair policy to break out of slumps, slugger Luke Voit reveals", "The Yankees should ditch their dumb grooming policy", "A now-bearded Aaron Judge really should challenge the Yankees' facial hair policy", "No beard in the Bronx: Wilson won't shave for Yanks", "Price's Yankees hair comment bristles some", "McCutchen: Yankees' grooming policy 'takes away our individualism', "About Clint Frazier's Lush Locks: Will the Yankees Let Their Hair Down? 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. Milton was. After that point, individual managers began to tighten or relax their teams' grooming standards as they saw fit. 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. Thats whats up. No mutton chops. Hodges, sporting a pencil-thin mustache, refused. 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.
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