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Palestinian baseball team in Dubai: MLB icon hopes for a better future
The Palestinian baseball team features mostly US-based players with the deadly Israel war making it impossible for athletes to even go out for training sessions in the West Asian country
Former Texas Rangers star Robinson Chirinos is a co-owner of Baseball United in Dubai. — AFP File
Unlike most South American countries, Venezuela is not a hotbed for football stars. Until now, they are the only member of the South American football confederation who have never qualified for the football World Cup, a tournament which famously made its debut in Uruguay in 1930.
But Venezuela — constantly in the grip of political instability, violence and economic crisis — does have a flair for baseball, America’s favourite pastime.
Since 1939, Venezuela has produced more than 400 players who have played in Major League Baseball.
Among the Venezuelan MLB stars is Robinson Chirinos who left his country at 16 and carved a niche of his own as a catcher with stints at Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.
The 40-year-old is now a co-owner of Baseball United, a new ambitious baseball league launched last year in Dubai.
Baseball United, which began with a couple of exhibition matches last year at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, will kick off in October 2025 with five professional teams featuring some of the game’s biggest names.
While the scale of the event is huge, Chirinos is also excited about a minor league — the BU Arab Classic, a tournament for amateurs launched to help the sport grow in the Middle East and South Asia.
The BU Arab Classic will see the national teams of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan and Palestine go toe to toe on the baseball diamond this November.
Chirinos, who was recently in Dubai for an event, says it’s gratifying to be able to give aspiring baseball players from a war-torn country like Palestine an opportunity to live their dreams.
“This is what baseball is about. It’s about believing that things are going to get better. It has the power to unite people,” Chirinos told the Khaleej Times.
“Having a team from Palestine during this time of crisis gives hope to the people. I think it’s a huge moment, this is one of the things that have really made me happy as a Baseball United co-owner.”
Yunis Halim (right), who was born to Palestinian parents in the US, will represent the Palestine national team in the BU Arab Classic. — Instagram
The Palestinian national team features mostly US-based players with the deadly Israel war making it impossible for athletes to even go out for training sessions in the West Asian country.
While a sports event of any size will fail to heal wounds, it does have the power to give hope to people going through one of the worst crises in history.
“As sports ambassadors, we have a responsibility to try and make a difference. As a society, we have an opportunity to bring a new sport to the region and also give the opportunity to a country like Palestine to be part of a historic sports event,” Chirinos said.
“I am from Venezuela, far away from the US. Baseball gave me the opportunity to achieve my dreams, to live my dreams as a Major League Baseball player. This is the reason I came to Baseball United. I wanted to give kids from countries like Palestine and others in this region an opportunity to dream big despite every problem they are facing in their lives.
“So we keep moving forward, we keep believing that we can make this a great league for everybody.”
Chirinos is also excited about watching fierce South Asian rivals, India and Pakistan, who bring the cricket world to a standstill with their World Cup clashes, play a different bat and ball game.
“It's going to be the first time Pakistan and India would be playing a baseball game. It’s going to be very exciting and I am very hopeful that these baseball matches will go a long way in bringing people from the two countries together,” he said.
“I know these two countries disagree on many things in life, but here in Dubai, they can play a game of baseball and then sit together and have a conversation.
“That’s what Baseball United is all about, connecting people from different countries and different backgrounds.”
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