John Feinstein, a Washington Post sportswriter who became the best-selling author of more than 40 books, died Thursday at the age of 69. His brother, Robert Feinstein, “confirmed the death but said the cause was not immediately clear.” Feinstein joined the Post in 1977 as a night police reporter and “soon distinguished himself on the sports beat,” covering a “wide range of sports” and developing a “talent for deep sourcing that fed personality-driven and dramatic narratives about athletes, coaches and management.” He was also a frequent commentator on NPR, ESPN and the Golf Channel. He wrote books about baseball, football, tennis, golf and the Olympics. Feinstein “took a leave of absence” from the Post in 1985 “to follow the Indiana Hoosiers and their coach,” Bob Knight, for the season, ultimately writing the book, “A Season on the Brink,” which was published in 1986. The book is “often cited among a pantheon of unblinkered sports books” and spent 17 weeks as a No. 1 bestseller. Known for “an indefatigable work ethic,” Feinstein filed a column a day before his death on Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo (WASHINGTON POST, 3/13).
Feinstein was hired at The Post by executive editor Ben Bradlee and managing sports editor George Solomon to be part of an acclaimed sports staff that included Tony Kornheiser, Dave Kindred, Michael Wilbon, Thomas Boswell, Ken Denlinger, Sally Jenkins, David Dupree, David Remnick, Richard Justice and Gary Pomerantz. Feinstein’s book on Knight was the breakthrough that had him transcending the sports pages. Granted unlimited access to Indiana’s locker room, coaching room and practices during the 1985 season, Feinstein portrayed Knight in a raw and unflattering manner, pulling back the curtain on the coach’s moods and profanity. Feinstein followed that up with another bestselling college basketball book in 1988, “A Season Inside,” and subsequent books such as “A Good Walk Spoiled” in 1995 on pro golf, “Hard Courts” in 1990 on tennis and “A Civil War” in 1996 chronicling the Army-Navy football rivalry. In the Post newsroom -- where he worked full-time until 1991 before returning later as a periodic columnist -- he was known for loud nose-to-nose sports debates with Kornheiser and Wilbon long before they began hosting ESPN’s “PTI.” (Tom Friend, SBJ).
Tributes poured in on social media for the acclaimed author and sportswriter.
- N.Y. Daily News' Dick Weiss: “I kept hoping this wasn’t true. but legendary sportswriter and one of my closest friends John Feinstein has died suddenly. distinguished career at Washington Post, 45 books including Season on the Brink, A Good Walk Spoiled and my favorite children’s book of all time, Last Shot. best I ever read. I’m still in shock. just spoke with him. he was supposed to stay with us Sunday night before speaking at the Coaches v Cancer breakfast at the Palestra.”
- ESPN’s Kevin Seifert: “Still have my original copy. RIP to the legend Mr. Feinstein.”
- SI’s Pat Forde: “Tremendously sad news. John Feinstein, who meant so much to the coverage of March Madness, has died.”
- CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli: “RIP John Feinstein. He’ll always take up plenty of space on my bookshelves.”
- CBS Sports' Matt Norlander: “Somber news to share: John Feinstein has died. Beyond his overall work, he was one of the preeminent writers in college basketball for decades.”
- The Athletic’s Seth Emerson: “This is terrible news. John Feinstein is one of the greats, and many eons ago was nice to me when I was a cub reporter at The Post. My son is an avid reader of his fiction books. Just a gut punch.”
- Wizards play-by-play announcer Dave Johnson: “Gutted to hear of passing of John Feinstein. Growing up in @washingtonpost @PostSports he connected me to my team Diplomats NASL. Wonderful guest on @WTOP and supportive @WashWizards when my career with @dcunited @mls was in jeopardy. Grateful for his friendship and amazing work.”
- Ravens SVP/Communications Chad Steele: “Getting to know John Feinstein through his time with us as he was writing Next Man Up was one of the great honors of my professional life. Quick-witted and bluntly honest, I was lucky to call him a friend for the last 20 years. This news is heartbreaking and will hurt for a long time. RIP to a great man. Will miss you, John.”
- Northwestern Univ. Director of Sports Journalism J.A. Adande: “Simply knowing John Feinstein made me a better college basketball reporter. That’s how good he was.”
