In a shocking announcement, the Yankees’ owner, Hal Steinbrenner, announced that the team would be reversing its ban on players having facial hair, which has been in place for nearly half a century. The new rule will allow players to keep a “well-groomed beard” if they so choose. This could have a substantial impact on players on the team, as well as on other teams in the league.
A Change to the Long-Standing Facial Hair Policy
The Yankees have chosen to end their ban on players having facial hair, which has been in place since 1976 when it was instituted by its then-owner, George Steinbrenner. The announcement of the change came on the morning of Friday, February 21, after a meeting between the players and its owner and managers. Many of the players cheered the news, saying they would begin growing out their facial hair as soon as possible.
Maintaining a Professional Appearance
When George Steinbrenner put the facial hair ban into place 49 years ago, it was due to his distaste with the big beards and long hair that were popular at the time. He believed that maintaining a clean-cut appearance (which included shaving facial hair and keeping hair cut short) was important to maintaining a sense of discipline on the team. However, players have complained about the rule since it was first put into place, and there has been dissatisfaction over it ever since.
Reasons For the Change
While the current owner of the team originally shot down the idea of reversing the facial hair ban, he was eventually persuaded after speaking to players in a private meeting. Among the concerns brought up were issues with consistent enforcement, where some types of facial hair were tacitly permitted while others were forced to shave. There were also concerns that some players might choose not to play for the Yankees if it meant shaving their beards or mustaches.
The Potential Impact of the Change
In the immediate sense, the change in policy is a relief to players who have struggled to comply with the policy, and it could also attract other players to the team who might previously have balked. However, there is also the legal perspective to consider. As Andrew Sack, an employment law attorney has stated:
“From an employment law perspective, it’s illegal for employers to discriminate against employees based on their religious practices, including requiring them to shave their beards. Had a player told the Yankees in the past that they needed to keep their beard due to a religious purpose and the Yankees decided not to sign a player for that reason, they could have been liable under several employment laws including Title VII and the New York City Human Rights Law.”
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