Why aren't New York Yankees players allowed to grow a beard? Iconic MLB team's facial hair policy explained

In the ever-changing world of baseball, the New York Yankees have clung to a policy that some have branded as archaic and arbitrary. The team, nevertheless, continues to bestow certain, rather rigid, demands on their players.

The team's policy of not allowing players to dawn facial hair goes back to the days of owner George Steinbrenner.

Steinbrenner, a businessman, acquired the team in 1973. Known as "The Boss" for his hands-on approach, Steinbrenner began criticizing the haircuts of various players nearly immediately after assuming ownership.

By 1976, Steinbrenner had a rule against facial hair codified in each of his player's contracts. Ever since no player on the New York Yankees has been allowed to grow any sort of facial hair or sport long haircuts. The policy even outlasted Steinbrenner himself, who died in 2008 before handing ownership of the franchise over to his children.

"The background behind George Steinbrenner's appearance policy, according to Wikipedia:" - Justin Diamond

Understandably, this policy has not been without criticism. Don Mattingly, who spent his entire 14-season career with the Yankees, was taken out of the lineup in 1991 for refusing to cut his hair.

More recently, former Yankees like Andrew McCutchen have criticized the policy, while others have come out and stated that they will never play for the team unless the policy changes.

Players such as Gerrit Cole, who had the AL's best ERA as a member of the Houston Astros in 2019, shaved his iconic beard after being traded to the Yankees.

"Since 1973, the New York Yankees has enforced an appearance policy regulating how their players must be presented. It states that players must have their hair cut above the collar of their baseball jersey and no beards are permitted. Do you like or dislike the hair policy & why?" - Jake Montgomery

While the policies are indeed controversial, Steinbrenner rang in the first semblances of a conversation about baseball appearances. The "Moustache Gang", led by Reggie Jackson of the 1970s Oakland Athletics was in direct response to Steinbrenner's regulatory overreaches.

New York Yankees policy harkens back to eras gone

Say what you will about the Steinbrenner-era policy, but the fact that it has remained in place until this very day speaks to the organization's seriousness about it.

In a baseball scene that is always changing: with new rules, guidelines, styles and objectives, it may be hard to see the New York Yankees holding on to this policy for much longer.

However, do not expect baseball's most storied organizations to jettison some of its trademark principles so easily.