What's with the full beards on Major League baseball players?

none | July 17, 2015 | Hot Tobasco

[Tenacious 1]

For the Pittsburgh Steelers it’s a tradition. Brett Kiesel’s beard is the greatest beard of all time. Runner-up is James Harden of the NBA.

That thing Andrew Luck grows on his face has it's own ecosystem. I hate it.

[Chode]

after this, it's been pretty much all downhill...

[donna]

The young workmen who built a patio cover at my home had those sort of straight long beards. Must be stylish?

[Political Junkie Too]

I think it started in 2010 with San Francisco pitcher Brian Wilson. It was a rally thing. From Wikipedia: "He decided he would not shave until the Giants' season was over, and only if they failed to win the World Series. During the Giants' playoff run in 2010, Giants' fans began growing their own beards or wearing fake beards. Many fans chanted "Fear the Beard," and held up signs bearing the same motto. Teammate Sergio Romo also began growing a beard in 2010; he has had it intermittently ever since."

Others have copied it since then.

-PJ

[TomGuy]

They have to do something to create some excitement.

What is more exciting than watching your beard grow?

Watching most actual ballgames is not.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I had a full beard when I was a Hippie. Then I cut most of it off and had the most awesome Fu Manchu! Now, just a mustache. Funny, but I think my friend’s pets recognize me because of the mustache!

[freedomfiter2]

Masculinity?

[Pearls Before Swine]

I think the beard thing started as “we’ll let it grow ‘til we win the championship.” Unfortunately, every year, most teams don’t win the championship, there’s maybe a little camaraderie with beards in the stretch run, but starting early is of no benefit.

[RIghtwardHo]

That’s just what you “see”. I’ve seen nothing to suggest that’s the intent. Quite frankly, beards, hairstyles, etc ... whatever you wanna wear pretty much, have never bothered me. Of course you can’t have long hair in the military, that kind of thing but otherwise ... I just don’t care.

[Ken H]

I have zero interest in baseball these days. This is coming from someone who idolized Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra etc., back in the day.

[smokingfrog]

I think it’s inspired by those throwback uniforms, although baseball players have been wearing beards from the beginning.

[OttawaFreeper]

Do the Cincinnati Reds still have an edict against facial hair? I can remember my Dad telling me that they really stood out in the 1970s in that way when players on basically all of the other teams began wearing moustaches and sideburns as well as beards but the Reds players were still not permitted to do so.

[Tenacious 1]

I had a baseball coach in highschool that did not allow facial hair. Of course, now that I recall, facial hair wasn’t allowed in our school either. I had some classmates that got called down to the office to use a razor a time or two. I didn’t have to worry about it. I couldn’t grow a beard like that if there were no such thing as razors.

[MinorityRepublican]

I can’t wait until moustache becomes cool again.

[faithhopecharity]

yes.
but we’re lucky the ball players aren’t wearing dresses

[Tenacious 1]

Does it bother you that our spec ops guys wear full beards, too?

That is actually for tactical purposes. In their case, a beard could be the difference between life and death. Ain't that ironic.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Yep, Kiesel is a bad mofo. That beard is like Hagar the Horrible epic.

[wideminded]

Beards seem to be getting a lot more popular everywhere right now. It doesn’t have anything to do with Islam.