Yankees' lift of beard ban was long overdue
Yankees Hall of Famer CC Sabathia sports a trimmed beard as he waves to the crowd prior to the start of a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Friday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
TAMPA, Fla.
When CC Sabathia trotted out from the Yankees’ dugout on Friday at 12:54 p.m., kicking off the player and staff introductions before their Grapefruit League opener, history was made.
The new Hall of Famer, clad in the traditional home pinstripes, did so wearing a full beard. Ironically, it happened at the ballpark named for George M. Steinbrenner, who outlawed facial hair for his players and on-field staff in 1976 as a nod to the discipline of his Air Force background.
That policy stood for 49 years, respected and mocked in equal parts, right up until Hal Steinbrenner — George’s younger son — sat behind a microphone Friday morning and stunningly announced a seismic change in the Yankees’ universe. Calling his dad’s rule “outdated” and “somewhat unreasonable” for the societal norms in 2025, the clean-shaven Hal finally was the Steinbrenner to snip this hairy topic.
“It’s part of who these younger men are, it’s part of their character, it’s part of their persona,” said Steinbrenner, 55. “Do I totally relate to that? It’s difficult for me. I’m an older guy who’s never had a beard in his life. But it’s a very important thing to them.”
Kudos to Steinbrenner for finally reaching that conclusion. Better late than never.
In explaining the cultural shift that led to his decision, he pointed to bearded celebrities such as the U.S. vice president — he didn’t mention JD Vance by name — and members of Congress, just to give you an idea of how he views the Yankees’ brand.
No offense to Steinbrenner, but when it comes to the Yankees’ clubhouse these days, he’d be better off mentioning Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny. His players aren’t looking to Capitol Hill for their grooming cues, and it’s long past time for the Yankees to join the rest of us here in the 21st century on the facial-hair issue.
This isn’t just a matter of style, either. While some of the discussion was built around keeping up appearances in regard to Yankee tradition — the updated policy allows for “well-groomed beards” — Steinbrenner didn’t disguise the underlying truth behind his decision. There is a competitive component at play here, too.
He can’t ignore the fact that the Yankees’ mystique and aura doesn’t wield the same power as it did decades ago. They’re still a huge box-office draw and a TV ratings Goliath, but on the recruitment front, the pinstripes don’t possess the gravitational pull they once did. On top of that, Steinbrenner sounded as if he was beginning to fear that the ban could be bad for business.
So much so that he mentioned that specific issue numerous times during Friday’s 24-minute news conference (with general manager Brian Cashman beside him). After speaking with plenty of Yankees, past and present, Steinbrenner came to the conclusion that prospective players could end up avoiding the Yankees if it meant ditching their beloved beards in the process. And while he didn’t mention anyone by name, newly acquired closer Devin Williams — traded from the Brewers in December — apparently wasn’t too thrilled about his mandatory shave upon reporting to Tampa last week.
Williams didn’t have a choice. He was dealt to the Yankees’ razor-worshipping community, which in 2025 could be giving off a cult vibe. Look around the league. It’s become a running joke that ex-Yankees inevitably grow shaggy beards from the minute they escape the Bronx. And if we’re talking about free agents, it’s certainly possible — if the money is similar — that they’d bypass the Yankees to keep their beards in Boston, Baltimore or Queens. Steinbrenner hinted those sort of hypotheticals came up in conversations he relied on to “research” his decision.
“If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire to make us better, to get us a championship, didn’t want to be here, and if he had the ability wouldn’t come here because of that policy — as important as it is to that generation — that would be very, very concerning,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m fairly convinced that’s a real concern.”
The Yankees no longer have the luxury of having beard bans. Not when they haven’t won a World Series since 2009. Eventually, policing facial hair had to take a backseat to fielding a championship team. What good is tradition without the winning part?
“There’s been a lot of change in the game,” Cashman said. “I think this is a little bit of an evolution and a nudge on our part to make an adjustment also.”
Cashman went on to list a number of developments that have altered the Yankees’ iconic imagery in recent years: flashy multicolored cleats, sponsorship patches, specialty caps for charitable causes. For the record, the Yankees don’t really play at Yankee Stadium anymore. The true baseball cathedral was demolished after the 2008 season and replaced with the concrete cash register that happens to bear the same name.
If the Yankees can take a wrecking ball to “The House that Ruth Built,” what’s the harm in expanding a few mustaches, especially with the potential benefits? Not only could the beards help in the recruiting efforts for that increasingly elusive No. 28, as Steinbrenner stated, but maybe the loosening of the old policy will make for a more positive work environment as well. The Yankees need to get back to being special for other things than shaving regularly.
“It was almost kind of cool to see in this day and age because it doesn’t exist,” Marcus Stroman said of the old policy. “But in 2025, I feel like it’s just hard to keep that around, especially when [a beard] gives guys confidence. Guys want to look good, feel good, when they’re out there.”
From now on, for the first time in nearly a half-century, the Yankees are going to look different. It’s a change for the better.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
