The Yankees' appearance policy and why it should stay

The Yankees' facial hair/appearance policy has long been a point of argument for many Yankee fans. Recently, it's come up in the news again thanks to Andrew McCutchen and his comments on his short-lived Yankee tenure.

But how exactly did the appearance policy begin?

The Beginning

It all started on opening day April 11, 1973 when Yankees owner George Steinbrenner took his seat to watch his team's first game of the season.

Players lined up along the foul lines, removed their caps and sang the national anthem. This was a typical start to opening day but something different caught Steinbrenner's eye. As players took off their hats, George began to notice how many of them had long hair and scruffy faces, something that he didn't particularly like. Instead of enjoying the rest of opening day, the owner spent the next few hours picking out and writing down the numbers, since he still didn't know names, of players whose appearances didn't match what he was trying to create with the Yankee uniform.

After the game, George marched to manager Ralph Houk, handed him the list and explained that these players, including Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer, and Sparky Lyle, needed to cut their hair.

As a result of the list, George decided he would create an official appearance policy for his team going forward:

“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. Long sideburns and “mutton chops” are not specifically banned.”

The Yankee beards that never were

There are more than a handful of Yankee players who shaved their beards or cut their hair in order to be part of the best team in baseball. Although some stars like David Price have said they would never come to the Yankees because of the rule, most have no real problem making the sacrifice.

Honestly, I can't imagine why they would. You could pay me a quarter of what some stars make and I'd dye my whole body blue for the season if they asked.

Let's take a took of some of the beards that never were:

Nick Swisher

Swishalicious was all about the long hair and beard when playing for both the Athletics and White Sox. Not only did he sport a beard, he frequently dyed parts, if not all, of the beard for game appearances. Despite his love for playful appearances, Swisher shaved it all off to join the Yankees in 2009.

Johnny Damon

Damon sported long hair and a beard throughout his entire career with the Red Sox. The Red Sox were all about individualism and didn't play by the same corporate rules as the Yankees, but Damon had no problem saying goodbye to his locks when he joined the Yankees in 2006

Jason Giambi

I couldn't make this list and leave off my childhood favorite. During his time in Oakland, Giambi sported longish hair and a goatee. He was even featured on the Sports Illustrated cover in 2000 with his scruffy look. After six seasons with the A's, Giambi cut his hair and shaved his beard to chase a championship with the Yankees.

Gerrit Cole

Cole had sported facial hair since his college days but had no problem showing up to his first Yankees press confrence with a clean face and slightly shorter hair.

We will never really know how great Yankees beards could have been, but personally I'm happy about that.

The Push Back

There has certainly been pushback from players when it comes to the appearance policy.

Goose Gossage was asked to shave a beard that was coming in a little too thick for George's liking. Gossage wasn't particularly happy about the situation, so he shaved his beard to avoid the trouble, but left an exaggerated mustache touching his jaw line.

Lou Piniella also pushed back on the policy. He took his concern to Steinbrenner arguing that hair and baseball simply do not go hand in hand but George disagreed. Piniella went even further by comparing his long hair to Jesus to which Steinbrenner responded, "Walk on water and I won't make you cut your hair."

I'm sure I don't have to say this if you know anything about George Steinbrenner, but Piniella lost that argument.

Don Mattingly took his opposition the furthest. He simply refused the policy, and Steinbrenner didn't care how big of a star Mattingly was. He sat him on the bench and fined him for not cutting his mullet. Eventually Mattingly tried to push George's buttons again by growing a goatee, but he did eventually trim that as well.

Andrew McCutchen speaks out

Most recently, Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who played less than a full season with the Yankees in 2018, had some things to say about the appearance policy. McCutchen says that although it's an honor to play for the Yankees, the hair rules are out-dated and need to go. He touches most notably on the idea that having to be clean shaven with short hair takes away from individualism.

https://twitter.com/BrendanKutyNJ/status/1280151145340690432

Should it stay or should it go?

Personally, I think the appearance policy needs to stay.

I think our man Nick Kirby said it best:

https://twitter.com/NkirbyNYY/status/1280197352524046337

I never normally willingly agree with Nick because what fun would that be! The fact is the sport uses a uniform because it wants players to look uniform. Uniforms aren't meant to help highlight individualism, they are made to create a professional atmosphere, and for all the money these players make it isn't outrageous of owners to want that professionalism.

"Well its discriminatory"

No, actually I don't think it is.  If the Yankees didn't go after players because of their appearance or paid players less because of their facial hair, we'd have a problem but that isn't the case. The Yankees aren't saying you can't have certain long hair styles (like dreads) but you can have others. The policy is the same for every player, short hair and clean face.

As we saw, many long haired scruffy guys have been pursued, signed, and paid by the team. What the team asks of its players after they accept big buck offers is simply company policy.  I'm sure many of us have dealt with this situation before. Personally, I went to multiple schools that had hardcore appearance policies and they didn't pay me a dollar. I now have a job that requires a certain appearance all on the basis of professionalism and let me tell you, I don't make anything near even the lowest Yankee salary.

Between Players Weekend, cleat designs, bat flips, on field interactions, and home run celebrations, the players have plenty of room to show their individualism. Honestly, I'm really not here to watch you as an individual, I'm here to watch my team.

Really like your beard or your long flowing hair? Rock it. Rock it all off season. But once you step foot on the field you are part of a professional baseball team and looking the part is part of the deal.

The solution is simple: you don't like our policy, don't play for our team. I'm sure we will all get over it.