New York Yankees drop ban on beards, 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner

The New York Yankees dropped their ban on beards 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner, in a move aimed at improving player recruitment as the team tries to win its first World Series title since 2009. Current owner Hal Steinbrenner, son of The Boss, announced the change before the team's spring training opener. He called the ban "outdated" and "somewhat unreasonable." "This generation, the vast majority of 20, 30s-into-the-40s men in this country have beards," Steinbrenner said during a news conference, flanked by general manager Brian Cashman. "It is a part of who these younger men are. It's part of their character. It's part of their persona. Do I totally relate to that? It's difficult for me. I'm an older guy who's never had a beard in his life but it's a very important thing to them. They feel it defines their character." George Steinbrenner announced the facial hair policy during spring training in 1976, mandating no long hair or beards—mustaches were allowed. Players complied but some pushed boundaries by going unshaven or letting hair fall over their collars. "My dad was in the military. He believed that a team should look in a disciplined manner," Hal Steinbrenner said. "Very important to my father, but again (for) my father, nothing is more important than winning and that's in the back of my mind." Hal Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as controlling owner in November 2008, said he had considered the issue for a decade and discussed the contemplated change recently with Yankees stars Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole in one-on-one meetings. Steinbrenner then issued a statement that "we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward." Cashman said some current players had told him about the facial hair ban, "It's not what I want. It's not my preference, but I will honor the rules of the land." This article was provided by The Associated Press.