Practically 50 years after New York Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner applied a coverage banning facial hair, the crew made the stunning announcement to finish what Hal Steinbrenner got here to study was an “outdated” rule that might have doubtlessly severe penalties for the group.
Hal Steinbrenner introduced the change on Friday previous to the Yankees’ spring coaching opener and delved into the method that led him to make a new coverage the place gamers can now sport “well-groomed beards.”
New York Yankees reduction pitcher Devin Williams (38) participates in spring coaching exercises at George M. Steinbrenner Area. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Pictures)
As Steinbrenner defined, facial hair has turn into the brand new norm. He pointed to our nation’s leaders, together with Vice President JD Vance, for instance of how occasions have modified for the reason that coverage was first applied in 1976.
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“This technology, the overwhelming majority of 20s, 30s into the 40s, males on this nation have beards. Our new vp has a beard, members of congress have a beard – the record goes on and on and on on this nation and on this world,” he informed members of the media throughout a press convention.
Vice President JD Vance, speaks on the Conservative Political Motion Convention, CPAC, at Gaylord Nationwide Resort & Conference Heart, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Picture/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
“It’s a part of who these youthful males are, it’s a part of their character, it’s a part of their persona. Do I completely relate to that? It’s troublesome for me, I’m an older man who’s by no means had a beard in his life. However it’s an important factor to them and so they really feel it defines their character.”
Steinbrenner went on to elucidate that realizing this led him to a “actual concern” that the coverage may doubtlessly be detrimental to the Yankees’ final objective of profitable its first World Sequence title since 2009.
YANKEES ANNOUNCER MICHAEL KAY REACTS TO TEAM’S ‘SEISMIC’ FACIAL HAIR POLICY CHANGE
“If I ever discovered {that a} participant we wished to accumulate, to make us higher, to get us a championship, didn’t need to be right here, and if he had the power, wouldn’t come right here due to that coverage – as essential as it’s to that technology – that may be very, very regarding.
FILE – New York Yankees proprietor Hal Steinbrenner appears to be like on earlier than a baseball recreation between the Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 21, 2022, in New York. (AP Picture/Corey Sipkin, File)
“I’m pretty satisfied that’s an actual concern,” he mentioned.
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Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as controlling proprietor in November 2008, mentioned he had thought-about the problem for a while, however mentioned he spent this season actively discussing the problem with gamers and others.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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