Bernie Williams explains 'mixed emotions' for Yankees ditching no-facial hair policy

Fox News

28-02-2025

Bernie Williams, the four-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, will be down in Tampa, Florida, soon for this year's spring training to see how his old team is shaping up for another season.
While he is down there, though, there might be a pretty stark difference in terms of the appearance of those players due to the scraping of a tradition he was used to during his playing days.
Yankees general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner made the shocking announcement that the no-facial hair policy, which his father, the late George M. Steinbrenner, put in place in 1976, would be no more.
As such, Yankees players, coaches and staff members are allowed to have "well-groomed beards." Newcomers like closer Devin Williams, who has already shaved off his signature beard from his days with the Milwaukee Brewers, are among those who could start letting their facial hair grow out again.
For Williams, it will certainly take some getting used to for the Yankees being allowed to do this, which is why he told Fox News Digital that he had "mixed emotions" about this change – one that ends 50 years of a Yankees staple.
"I have some mixed emotions because, as a young player, it is kinda hard to keep that clean-cut, shaven [look] day after day," Williams said, laughing, as he also discussed his important Tune In To Lung Health initiative. "As a rebel kid playing professional sports, you get all these accolades and you feel like you're on top of the world and you can do whatever you want.
"But I think that particular rule, first of all, it kept us together as a team – something everybody had to do. It didn't matter how much money you were making on the team, from the rookie guy, to the highest-paid player everybody had to have that facial hair out of the way. That was one thing that was a common thing for bonding.
"The other side of the coin, it was kind of annoying to get it through day in and day out."
For Williams, the rule was something that made the Yankees stand out other than the signature pinstripes.
"We needed to have this policy, and people loved it," he explained. "'These guys are so clean cut, and they look so nice. I'd like to be associated with that team because they have this policy, and they want to represent themselves the best way possible.'"
However, the love for the policy has clearly changed since he was last in the game in 2006, and he understands how changing times leads to changed mindsets.
"I get the fact that people are pushing back, we live in a different time, and I guess it's kinda trendy to have a nice, well-groomed beard or facial hair," he said.
However, where Williams draws the line is where Yankees captain Aaron Judge virtually did when discussing the facial hair rule, potentially giving a free agent second thoughts on joining the organization – which has the most professional sports titles of all-time.
"I think, in my mind and I don't know how other people take it, facial hair is just a trivial thing," Williams said, smiling. "If you're gonna not want to play for one of the best franchises in sports because you have an issue with facial hair – I mean, some people can't even grow a beard properly. So, I think it's kind of a trivial point, and you have worse issues if you think, 'I'm not going to play for the Yankees because I'm not going to cut my hair.' That would be some other problems you have to deal with."
The Yankees are also making some changes to the music played in the Bronx after home losses, showing that the organization is looking to modernize itself a bit.
However, Williams knows the tradition and nostalgia that is the Yankees will remain.
So, perhaps introducing another jersey, something fans have debated about for years, won't be in the cards just yet.
Then again…
"I think if you do it tastefully, you kinda not try to beat people upside the head with a tremendous, sudden change. You do it progressively with good taste, I don't see anything wrong with that," Williams said.
Williams will have to get a look at the beards first.
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