Straight Lines with Tim Neiman | Stephan Rapaglia on Growing Baseball Globally and Changing Lives Through the Game

Stephan Rapaglia—global baseball development leader with Play Global, co-founder of Old World Baseball, and former Great Britain National Team coach—joins Tim Neiman for a powerful conversation on expanding baseball worldwide and using the game to impact lives far beyond the field. From Europe to Africa, this episode dives into how baseball connects cultures, builds leaders, and creates opportunities in places where the game is just getting started. Key Highlights Stephan shares his journey from playing professionally to leading global baseball initiatives Inside Play Global: using baseball as a tool to teach leadership, teamwork, and bridge cultural divides The growth of baseball in Europe and why countries like the Czech Republic are on the rise How the World Baseball Classic is fueling global interest and participation Building baseball from the ground up in Africa—and the vision of reaching Little League World Series competition Why baseball uniquely connects people through failure, teamwork, and shared experience Old World Baseball’s mission to blend travel, competition, and development for future college players The importance of grassroots growth, local partnerships, and volunteer leadership A real look at international baseball: challenges, opportunities, and where the game is headed next Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and follow Straight Lines with Tim Neiman for more conversations built on truth, clarity, and action.