John Feinstein, whose career as a columnist and bestselling author of sports books made him one of the most notable sportswriters of his time, died Thursday, his brother told The Washington Post. He was 69.
Feinstein was a regular sports columnist for the Post but began his career as a night police reporter in 1977. He was most widely known for his coverage of college basketball, but wrote about all sports, including golf, college football and the Olympics. He wrote for Golf Digest and was a frequent contributor to a variety of radio programs, with a regular stint on National Public Radio.
A column on Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was published Thursday morning by The Post.
Feinstein wrote 48 books, 23 of which made the New York Times bestseller list, according to his website. His first book, “A Season on the Brink,” which chronicled the 1985-86 Indiana University basketball season, made him a household name and spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on the Times’ bestsellers list. The book detailed the coaching methods of Bob Knight and was later turned into an ESPN film.
He also wrote “A Good Walk Spoiled,” about a year on the PGA Tour in 1994-95, that was also a No. 1 bestseller, as well as a critically acclaimed book on the Army-Navy football rivalry. He also wrote more than a dozen teen mystery books.
Feinstein was honored with the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. He’s also in the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame.
