Michael Kay’s Misguided Rant About Yankees Bat Boy Causes Stir Over Team’s Hair Policy
Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay drummed up controversy over the franchise’s long-standing short hair policy after cameras panned to the team’s long-haired bat boy on Monday night against the Guardians.
YES Network cameras focused on New York manager Aaron Boone in the seventh inning of the broadcast and the bat boy was standing next to him donning his long hair.
Kay quickly referenced the “Neatness Count” policy implemented by former owner George Steinbrenner in the ’70s, which the club still abides by today.
“Strange to see a Yankee uniform, somebody wearing that uniform with that sort of hair,” Kay said on the broadcast. “If the players aren’t allowed, I don’t know if the bat boy should be allowed. There are rules. Rules are rules. He’s disobeying two of them. I think there’s facial hair and obviously, the hair is below the collar,” he continued.
The image of the bat boy, as well as Kay’s rant, went viral on social media. On Tuesday night, Kay gave an update on the bat boy, who was donning seemingly shorter hair.
“They had him tuck the hair under the helmet,” Kay said. “His name is Nate. He’s in a band. He’s a drummer. ‘Open Doors’ is the name of the band, and he found all the uproar from social media kinda humorous yesterday,” Kay said.
After all of the uproar, it turns out that the bat boy was actually employed by the Guardians. Bat boys generally don’t travel on the road with the team, so a bat boy is provided by the home club.
Kay and the bat boy caused quite the stir, but all is well now.