WASHINGTON — Renowned sports journalist and author John Feinstein passed away at the age of 69 on Thursday due to natural causes. His brother, Robert Feinstein, discovered him at his residence in McLean, Virginia.
From 1977 to 1991, Feinstein was a dedicated reporter at The Washington Post. He also contributed as a commentator for numerous sports platforms, including NPR, ESPN, and the Golf Channel. Though he moved on from full-time reporting, he continued as a contributing columnist and hosted programs on SiriusXM satellite radio.
“John was a man of strong convictions,” Robert Feinstein reflected. “Poeple had passionate opinions about him, for better or worse.”
Feinstein was active in his career until the end. In Washington this week, he covered the Atlantic 10 Tournament, and on Wednesday, he submitted a column about Michigan State’s basketball coach Tom Izzo to The Post.
Although Feinstein covered a wide range of sports, his insightful narrative on college basketball in “A Season on the Brink” was particularly acclaimed. This book emerged from his time with Indiana coach Bob Knight’s team in 1985 when Feinstein temporarily left The Post to delve into the dynamics of college basketball.
With a knack for capturing intensity and emotional depth, Feinstein portrayed Knight’s notorious fierceness, while revealing the complex interactions Knight shared with his team — relationships that oscillated between nurturing and harsh.
Beyond his seminal work on college basketball, Feinstein authored over 40 books. Among them were “A Good Walk Spoiled” (1995), which explored professional golf, and “A Civil War” (1996), focused on the storied Army-Navy football rivalry. Following this, he enjoyed a long tenure as a radio commentator for Navy football.
Recently, Feinstein released “The Ancient Eight,” delving into Ivy League football. His contribution to literature also includes sports novels for young readers.
Feinstein is survived by his wife Christine, his son Danny, daughters Brigid and Jayne, and siblings Robert and Margaret.
