George Steinbrenner, Hal's father and the Yankees owner from 1973-2010, introduced the previous facial-hair policy — no long hair or beards — in 1976. The policy was inspired by his military background, as Steinbrenner believed it was important for Yankees players to look clean and disciplined.
The New York Yankees have a long-standing grooming policy that prohibits facial hair, including beards, for players. This policy is part of the team's broader emphasis on a clean-cut appearance, which is seen as a reflection of the organization's tradition and professionalism.
Since the 1970s, the Yankees have barred their players, as well as staff members, from having beards or long hair. George Steinbrenner, Hal Steinbrenner's father and the owner at the time, believed that neater appearance would promote professionalism and discipline among his players.
Johnny Damon
Recognizable for his long hair, beard and mustache while helping the Boston Red Sox win the 2004 World Series, Damon looked like a different person with the Yankees from 2006-08. He didn't regrow the long hair after leaving New York but at times kept a short beard during his final three big league seasons.
The Yankees weren't the only team that enforced clean-shaven faces: The Cincinnati Reds also had a facial hair policy, introduced in 1967 with the arrival of general manager Bob Howsam.
Rule #5: Clean Your Trimmings
If you have a beard, that means you're a man. And if you're a man, you should act like it and clean up after yourself.
The club believes that by putting the names on the shirts you are placing unnecessary attention on individuals rather than the team as a whole. In 1929, the New York Yankees became the first team to make numbers a permanent part of the uniform. Numbers were handed out based on the order in the lineup.
Players and uniformed personnel will now be allowed to have "well-groomed beards," team chairman Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. The Yankees previously had an infamous policy that mandated players could have mustaches but no other facial hair.
Contrary to baseball legend, the Yankees did not start wearing pinstriped uniforms to make Babe Ruth look slimmer in the late 1920s and 1930s. In truth, the Yankees briefly added pinstripes to their uniforms in 1912, then re-added them on a permanent basis soon after Jacob Ruppert bought the team in 1915.
The shortened form Yank is used as a derogatory, pejorative, playful, or colloquial term for Americans in Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, and New Zealand. The full Yankee may be considered mildly derogatory, depending on the country.
“Well-groomed beards” are now permitted for the men in stripes. While I don't know anything about the MLB's Collective Bargaining Agreement, I know one thing about the NFL's. No team rule regarding facial hair, or scalp hair, would be permitted.
There is no specific ethnicity that can't grow facial hair, but East Asian individuals, such as Japanese and Chinese, tend to have less facial hair and slower growth rates compared to other ethnicities.
“The best beards in the game, I'm going to guarantee you, are going to be coming from the New York Yankees,” he said. Castillo has been the Yankees' barber for about a decade. The policy has always been a major topic among players he's worked with, he said.
Steinbrenner said, to his knowledge, there are no actual instances of players refusing to join the Yankees due to their facial-hair policy, but it's been a topic of conversation. Cashman said CC Sabathia hesitated to sign with the Yankees as a free agent back in 2008 because he wanted to keep his facial hair.
On February 21, 2025, the Yankees amended their appearance policy, permitting players and coaches to have "well-groomed beards". Owner Hal Steinbrenner, who inherited the team from his father George, made the decision after several years of internal dialogue, culminating in conversations with players.
Managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner announced on Friday that the organization has amended its long-standing facial grooming policy, which had dated to the 1970s. Yankees players, coaches and other uniformed personnel are now permitted to sport “well-groomed beards” moving forward.
Detailed view of the tattoos of Luis Gil of the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on September 12, 2024 in the Bronx... Gary Sanchez of the New York Yankees with his last name tattooed on his arm wearing a Franklin batting glove during batting practice before a game...
The Cincinnati Red Stockings made their mark as the first openly professional baseball club in 1869.
21? All players and on-field personnel across baseball will wear “21″ patches on their uniform chests on Sunday in honor of Clemente, who donned No. 21 throughout his esteemed career.
Because the team is not about the individuals, but rather about the whole, which is perhaps why ownership has declined to change that.
Since 1976 the Yankees have had a facial hair policy in place that says you can't have long hair and you must be clean shaven. All you can have is a well-trimed mustache.
Hal Steinbrenner is the managing general partner of the New York Yankees, the most valuable in baseball at $7.1 billion. His father, George, led a 12-person group of investors that bought the team from CBS for $10 million in 1973.
“Very simple,” Yankees President Randy Levine said. “The Yankees brand stands for what it always has. It stands for excellence, it stands for greatness, and we don't need a mascot to basically explain what our brand is.
The following teams do not have a City Connect uniform: New York Yankees, due to the team traditionally not wearing an alternate uniform. The Athletics, due to the process of the team moving to Las Vegas.
Suzuki also hit 13 home runs and had 29 stolen bases, helping him to earn his first of three straight Pacific League MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards. It was during the 1994 season that he began to use his given name, "Ichiro," instead of his family name, "Suzuki," on the back of his uniform.