The New York Yankees has dropped the 49-year-old ban on beards ahead of the spring training opener.
As reported by Associated Press, the ban was lifted by owner Hal Steinbrenner on Friday, February 21, in order to make player's recruitment more inclusive.
The rule was introduced by the previous owner and Hal's father George Steinbrenner in 1976, mandating no beards or long hair, although moustaches were allowed.
In a press conference, the 55-year-old shared, "This generation, the vast majority of 20, 30s-into-the-40s men in this country have beards, it is a part of who these younger men are. It’s part of their character. It’s part of their persona."
While talking about his dad, Hal noted, "My dad was in the military. He believed that a team should look in a disciplined manner."
However, he also mentioned that the most important thing to George was winning and that’s the main reason for the relaxation on the 49-year-old ban.
Hal, who succeeded his father as controlling owner in November 2008, revealed that he has been contemplating on this issue for a decade and discussed the change with Yankees stars Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Gerrit Cole.
Notably, Outfielder Alex Verdugo was forced to trim his long beard following his trade to the Yankees ahead of the 2024 season.
Fans also saw Clay Holmes and Gleyber Torres training in beards this year after leaving New York Yankees.
