You want them to be able to represent themselves and their families and the organization. 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. 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. Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) November 13, 2013. That same year, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price made it clear that when his contract was up, he wouldnt want to play for New York. No long stirrups. 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 policy came from then-franchise owner George Steinbrenner, who believed that regulating his players' appearance would instill a sense of discipline. This policy largely came into being because Steinbrenner wanted the Bombers to amplify a corporate and professional attitude and look. Cookie Notice [21] The incident was parodied in the Simpsons episode "Homer at the Bat", which aired February 1992, in which Mattingly clashes with Mr. Burns over the length of his sideburns, which only Mr. Burns could see. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Shortly after taking over the Yankees, he decided hed end a tradition of having fresh-cut flowers on employees desks. 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. Believe it or not, the Yankees have actually passed up on players who would not shave. Public Slur in 1938 Laid Bare a Game's Racism - New York Times 15, Thurman Munson; No. He was right. Weve seen that realization play out preemptively in the free-agent market. Theyll joke about it, but sooner or later well get it ingrained in them. Privacy Policy. "[32] (McCutchen would cut his dreadlocks off on his own accord in 2015 for charity while still with the Pirates. Well, it is the third version of the facility, it is more mall than ballpark and it is a few football fields from the original. [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. (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. For one thing, his family still owns the club. Serious question: can someone explain the Yankees "no long hair, no 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. [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". 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. The CBA, which is expiring, would protect players from fines or suspensions over beards. Only to have to stripped when he went to the Yankees. The world has changed, and the Yanks are ironically hurting their image rather than protecting their image by continuing to obstinately insist that the rule should continue to remain in place. The New York Yankees saw their season end in early October after a loss to the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card, which has given the Yankees roster a solid eight weeks to exercise free will with their own personal appearance. I couldnt do it on some of these teams I hear about. I couldnt do it. Isnt baseball supposed to be a team game? [4], In 1972, Oakland Athletics player Reggie Jackson appeared at spring training sporting a full beard. Ill stick to building ships.. Bearded Aaron Judge should challenge Yankees facial-hair policy - USA Today That question alone should be enough to get rid of the rule. Should the Yankees now adopt to modern times? [13] The strict grooming requirements of the baseball club have led to several instances in which a player known for his long hair or beard on his former team becomes clean-cut upon signing with the Yankees. As most Yankee fans know, Don Mattingly openly defied the requests by the teams management for him to cut his hair. On Thursday, newly acquired Billy Butler made his Yankees. If youre a bigot it will catch up to you and you wont win.. Is it Flowers Day? Players like Derek Jeter were ubiquitous every October, their clean-shaven countenances serving as the face of baseball for a decade. I said, What the hell is this? Maybe this is a way of saying I dont fit in, The Marlins employ mostly young, cheap talent. 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. The Yankees' "appearance policy" has been in force since not long after George Steinbrenner purchased the team in the early 1970s. Guys will whine. , 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. [40] Howsam's policy was crafted out of a desire for the Reds to look uniform and professional, and was part of a larger series of guidelines that also required every member of the team to paint their shoes black,[41] and in at least one instance cost them a free agent when Hall of Fame relief pitcher & Ohio native Rollie Fingers opted to retire instead of shaving off his signature handlebar moustache he grew as a member of the Mustache Gang with the A's. I am shocked they have not been challenged on this yet. 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. Yankee management ordered Don Mattingly to get a hair cut, who was sporting a mullet-like hair style. Johnny Damon, the dude had the sickest flow and beard with the Red Sox. That includes McCutchen at the time, who was as noted traded to New York. Eligibility restrictions apply. [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. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Bradleys favor, agreeing that Dominos no beards policy disproportionately affected black men. 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. 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 | More and more, baseball is encouraging individuals to express themselves through items like footwear. Could the Yankees successfully defend keeping their policy? Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees with "long haired" Bat Boy pictured just to the left. It created a bit of an uproar and the media mocked the team for doing so. And why are the Yankees even still enforcing such inanity which allows mustaches, but no beards or hair lengths below the collar? 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. 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. Still, when it comes to sports, policies like these are candy for fans who like anauthoritarian approach to team management. This policy largely came into being because Steinbrenner. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). [38] The terms of Steinbrenner's appearance policy, meanwhile, were inspired by that of the Cincinnati Reds, who forbid their players from growing their hair past their collar or sporting any form of facial hair besides short sideburns. This also is true for any player traded by the Yankees. Marlins stud pitcher Jose Fernandez wasnt thrilled with the change. Still, Schott was adamant that her club would be presenting a clean-cut image and demanded Vaughn keep it neatly trimmed.. Maybe that wont matter for the Marlins, a team too cheap to make waves in the free agent market anyway. [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 enforcement of a professional look and a my way or the highway attitude appeals to conservative ideals. Yankees grooming policy origins - MLB 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 Scruffy Story of Why the New York Yankees Can Never Have Facial Hair In 1976, Steinbrenner gave an interview with the Times where he clarified his position. The Yankees are known for not allowing players to grow facial hair. Subscribe to join the community for game reactions, prospect news and. 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. 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.
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