When the Yankees were still called the New York Highlanders in 1912, pinstripes were added to the jerseys for the first time. But after a season in which they lost 102 games, the stripes were taken off for the next two years. In the 1915 season, they were finally back for good.
There is a rumor that the Yankees adopted pinstripes, as their fat and chubby superstar Babe Ruth look leaner in this new uniform. Even though it was a popular story, the club started wearing the famous pattern before the Great Bambino came to town.
A report from the New York Times on February 27, 1912, mentioned that “the Highlanders started wearing pinstripes that season.” It looks like the choice wasn’t based on how good it looked; it was just the style at the time.
“When manager Harry Wolverton’s Yankees trot out from their clubhouse on April 11 to open the season with Boston, Hilltop fans will see their favorites togged out in uniforms closely resembling those worn by the Giants last season,” the article read. “The fad for the pin stripe in baseball toggery, introduced by the Cubs a few years ago, has reached the Hilltop, and the home uniforms of the Yankees this year will be of that design. The home uniform will consists of white shirt and pants, with black pin stripe and “N.Y.” on the left breast; a white cap with a blue monogram, and blue stockings with maroon stripes.”
Before 1912, the Yankees’ uniforms didn’t have pinstripes, and the change didn’t become permanent until 1920. A few years after that, plain road grays became the norm. They got their present name in 1913.
How did the Yankees get their NY logo?
Even though the pinstripes of the New York Yankees are well-known, their solid blue caps with a “NY” on them are just as well-known. Louis B. Tiffany first made the NY logo for a medal that would be given to Officer John McDowell, who was the first NYPD officer to be shot while on duty. One of the original owners of the Yankees, Bill Devery, was the first police chief of New York City. He put the logo on the team’s caps and jerseys.
Even though the Yankees cap changed a bit in the early days of the team, the rest of the uniform has stayed pretty much the same since the 1930s. The pinstripes with an insignia of interlocking “NY” have become one of the most recognizable looks in sports because of how often they win and how consistent they are.
When the Yankees played at Yankee Stadium without wearing pinstripes?
In 2017, the Bronx Bombers wore a new uniform from August 25 to August 27 when they played the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium. Some players’ nicknames and real last names were on the uniforms. It was the first time in more than 100 years that the Yankees wore jerseys without pinstripes and with funny nicknames on the back. They will do it again this month when they play on their home field.
Why don’t the Yankees allow beards?
The policy came from George Steinbrenner, who owned the team at the time. He thought that putting rules on how his players looked would make them more disciplined.
It was in 1976 when the Yankees adopted an appearance policy that says players’ hair can’t touch their collars and they can only have mustaches, not any other facial hair. They have been strictly following it since then. The policy came from George Steinbrenner, who owned the team at the time. He thought that putting rules on how his players looked would make them more disciplined.
When George first joined the Yankees in 1973, they were standing for the National Anthem without their caps on, and he said that the players’ hair was too long for his taste. He sent Ralph Houk a message telling him that these players’ hair had to be cut right away.
No male player, coach, or executive was allowed to have facial hair other than a mustache. They could also grow mutton chops or sideburns. The players couldn’t let their hair go below the collar. This rule is still in place, and it is just one of the many strange and unique things about the Yankees.
In 1983, Goose Gossage had a beard. Steinbrenner directed manager Yogi Berra to ask the player to shave off it. Gossage’s response was halfhearted. He replaced his beard with a thick, long mustache touching the jaws.
The most famous thing that happened because of facial hair happened in 1991. Even though Steinbrenner was suspended, the Yankees told Don Mattingly, who had hair like a mullet at the time, to get a haircut. When Mattingly said no, he was put on the bench. This caused a huge media frenzy, and reporters and talk radio hosts made fun of the team over and over again. Phil Rizzuto, Bobby Murcer, and Tom Seaver made fun of the rule on a pregame show for WPIX. Rizzuto played a barber sent to enforce the rule to make the joke. Mattingly would be back on the team in the end. The Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat,” which was filmed earlier that year, had Mattingly as a guest star. In that episode, he is also banned from playing for the same reason, even though his hair is the normal length. When Mattingly grew a goatee in 1995, he once again broke the rules. Steinbrenner made fun of him in public forcing Mattingly to cut it down to a mustache.
How do you feel as part of this Yankees’ pinstripes nation? Let’s know your love for the famous jersey.
