Nearly 50 years after New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner implemented a policy banning facial hair, the team made the shocking announcement to end what Hal Steinbrenner came to learn was an "outdated" rule that could have potentially serious consequences for the organization. 

Hal Steinbrenner announced the change on Friday prior to the Yankees’ spring training opener and delved into the process that led him to make a new policy where players can now sport "well-groomed beards."

As Steinbrenner explained, facial hair has become the new norm. He pointed to our nation’s leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, as an example of how times have changed since the policy was first implemented in 1976.

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"This generation, the vast majority of 20s, 30s into the 40s, men in this country have beards. Our new vice president has a beard, members of congress have a beard – the list goes on and on and on in this country and in this world," he told members of the media during a press conference.  

"It is 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 and they feel it defines their character." 

Steinbrenner went on to explain that knowing this led him to a "real concern" that the policy could potentially be detrimental to the Yankees’ ultimate goal of winning its first World Series title since 2009.

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"If I ever found out that a player we wanted to acquire, to make us better, to get us a championship, did not want to be here, and if he had the ability, would not come here because of that policy – as important as it is to that generation – that would be very, very concerning.

"I am fairly convinced that’s a real concern," he said. 

Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as controlling owner in November 2008, said he had considered the issue for some time, but said he spent this season actively discussing the issue with players and others. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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