As a first generation Irish-American, Ned Hanlon left behind a childhood in the cotton mills to become a star player in the major leagues and the famous manager of the colorful 1890s Baltimore Orioles. He traveled the world on an All-Star team and was key member of the first attempt by baseball players to unionize, which led to the creation of the upstart Players' League. He was an innovative and shrewd tactician whose strategies and ideas helped baseball transition from its rough infancy into the modern game we know today. As one of the premier baseball minds of his time, "Foxy Ned" also exerted a profound influence on the sport through the impressive managerial tree he established, which includes Hall of Fame managers such as John McGraw, Miller Huggins, and Connie Mack. Despite being elected to the Hall of Fame in 1996, Ned Hanlon is nonetheless an underappreciated figure in baseball history. This first ever biography of Hanlon will illuminate the life and times of this remarkable man who achieved the American dream and was one of the Founding Fathers of our national game.