Since the days of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in the 1970s, the team has maintained a policy prohibiting its players from having facial hair other than well-groomed mustaches. Requiring clean-shaven players was part of the Yankee brand, just like their pinstriped uniforms. Now, fifty years later, the current Steinbrenner ownership has finally ditched the policy.

Yankees brass hasn’t revealed exactly what changed their minds about the long-standing rule. But one could guess that in today’s competitive environment, the team doesn’t want to preclude a player they want to sign in free agency from turning them down just because of the archaic policy. The Yankees were the only team to have such a requirement. One example of this actually happening a few years ago involved relief pitcher Brian Wilson, whose trademark was his thick black beard. He reportedly turned down a lucrative free agent offer from the Yankees because he rejected the idea of having to shave off his iconic beard.

However, there have been players who previously wore beards succumbed to the Yankee tradition. Johnny Damon, who signed as a free agent with the Yankees after the 2005 season, was one of the more noteworthy examples. Damon wore a shaggy beard to go along with a shaggy head of hair while playing for the Boston Red Sox. In fact, his nickname was “Caveman” because of his looks. He figured the $13M per year the Yankees were paying him was too good to pass up, just to keep a moppy head.

The cavalier Nick Swisher, who played for the Yankees during 2009-2012, is another player who made the same decision as Damon—he got with the Yankees’ program after having worn a beard with his former teams. However, that didn’t deter him from keeping his swashbuckling character.

Going back in time, if the Yankees’ grooming policy hadn’t been in effect, it’s almost a sure thing Thurman Munson would have worn a beard, despite having to wear his catcher’s mask. The menacing backstop wore a big mustache and frequently had stubble on his face from not shaving daily. It was part of his persona as a “rough and tumble” player, and a full beard would have only enhanced it. I imagine Don Mattingly might have worn a beard, too, albeit a well-groomed one. He was often castigated by Yankees management for allowing his hair length to get a bit long.

Current Yankee ace Garrit Cole is a more recent example of toeing the line with the Yankees grooming policy. He had previously worn a beard with Pittsburgh and Houston. It’s a fairly good bet he’ll likely resort to his old “look” by Opening Day.

The Yankees’ new relief pitcher Devin Williams acquired over the winter, previously wore a beard with Milwaukee. He had already shaved his beard in preparation for Yankee spring training camp last week. Now, he’ll have a chance to go back to his former look.

Current Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh could play Michael J. Fox’s role in the 1985 movie Teen Wolf. Marsh looks like he hasn’t had a haircut or shave since high school. It’s doubtful he would ever play for the Yankees, but the Yankees’ new policy could open the door for his superstar teammate Bryce Harper, who sports a beard, to eventually call Yankee Stadium home.