For the last few years, Yunis Halim wasn't interested in playing baseball anymore unless it was for a serious reason. Then he was asked to join the Palestinian team to compete in the West Asia Cup.
Halim played infield and converted from an infielder into a pitcher while a Cyclone from 2015 to 2017. He continued pitching for Chicago State University until he graduated in 2020 with a degree in criminal justice. After years of hard work and sustaining injuries, he wasn't willing to subject himself to additional wear and tear on his body despite being asked to play in rec leagues with neighborhood guys. Then a few months ago, he was asked to represent Palestine, where his father was born and raised, and he was in.
"They called me for years to play. I told them I didn't want to play if it wasn't something serious. This time they said it was serious. It was something motivating," Halim said.
The West Asia Cup was created by Baseball United, which is run by retired professional major league players, to help the 2 billion cricket-loving people across India, Pakistan and the Middle East learn about and fall in love with baseball. It also finds athletes who have the potential talent to become professionals.
Countries involved included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine and Sri Lanka. The Palestinian team was comprised of athletes from Illinois, Indiana, California as well as Palestine, whose players had less experience in the game than the Americans. Anyone with some Palestinian roots was allowed to be on the team.
"Baseball is not a big Palestinian sport. My dad played a little growing up in Palestine. He put my brothers in it, and I joined, too, to follow in their footsteps," Halim explained.
After getting the call near the end of 2022, the team was assembled before the tournament started in mid-January. Most of the guys played in college and continued in recreational men's leagues, but they hadn't played as a unit prior to forming this group. They headed to Islamabad, Pakistan, for the nine-day competition and finished second to the host country. The top two teams advance to the next round in the tournament in Taiwan this November.
Taking some time off from baseball did not dampen his skills because he earned an award for best pitcher in the tournament. He also went 9-for-9 at the plate.
"Going to Pakistan was the most fun and craziest experience I ever had. We felt like celebrities," Halim shared. "I love baseball but seeing it grow in different parts of the world was the most beautiful thing to see."
Baseball is not as popular as soccer or cricket in Asia, so it's still growing and being taught. Halim explained the other teams tend to play more small ball; they bunt more and don't aim to crush homeruns. Their opponents were impressed with Palestine's style.
In bringing baseball to these countries, Halim and his teammates are continuing to share and teach the game to those in Palestine and elsewhere. They even exchanged some gear with other teams that had subpar equipment during the tournament. "One of our team main goals is to teach and share the game. That's the most important part of this experience," Halim said.
Although he had originally decided not to play baseball after graduating from college, his continued success on the Palestine team has renewed his love of the game. And for that, he gives some credit to his former Cyclones assistant coach, General McArthur III, athletic student success specialist, who he keeps in touch with.
"If it wasn't for General, who knows if I would've kept playing after Moraine Valley. He told me how much talent I had and always to keep going. He inspired me," Halim recalled.
"I'm not shocked by his success as a pitcher because he has always been a hard worker, had a strong arm and was a fierce competitor on the mound," McArthur said. "Yunis was a coachable player and a wonderful teammate; he agreed to try what was best for the team, and he excelled by being one of our best pitchers. Through his hard work and commitment to get better, he was able to show off his skills at the end of the year at the Unsigned Sophomore Showcase. He was offered a spot on Chicago State's baseball team. I knew he could do more."
Soon, Team Palestine will start training again, growing the squad and improving their fitness before the tournament in November. Halim said they will compete in local leagues to stay sharp. Now, he's all in.
"This experience renewed my love of baseball, and I appreciate it more," Halim expressed. "Now it's more motivating especially when you represent your country. I'm inspired to travel, too. Because of this tournament, I might be chosen to play in Dubai. It's surprising where baseball can take you."