How did John Feinstein die? What we know as revered author and sports columnist dies at 69

Sports commentator and author John Feinstein has passed away at the age of 69 on March 13, 2025. He was at his brother’s home in McLean, Virginia, reported The Washington Post.

His death was reportedly confirmed by his brother, Robert Feinstein, who discovered his body. He told multiple outlets, including The Associated Press, that Feinstein died of natural causes. However, he told the The Washington Post, where he worked for several years, that he might have died of a heart attack.

Feinstein served as a full-time reporter for The Washington Post from 1977 to 1991 and as a commentator for NPR, ESPN, and The Golf Channel. He hosted satellite radio programs on SiriusXM, as reported by AP News.

He wrote more than 40 best-selling sports-based books, including A Season on the Brink (1986), A Good Walk Spoiled: Days and Nights on the PGA Tour (1995), A Civil War: Army vs.Navy (1996), The Last Amateurs: Playing for Glory and Honor in Division (2000), Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life in the Minor Leagues of Baseball (2014), The Ancient Eight: College Football’s Ivy League and the Game They Play Today (2024), and more.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, A Season on the Brink was adapted for a 2002 ESPN telefilm that starred Brian Dennehy as Bobby Knight. Besides his brother, Feinstein is survived by his wife, Christine, and his children, Daniel, Brigid, and Jane.

His sudden death has sparked an interest in his personal life; here is everything to know about The Washington Post columnist.

Everything to know about John Feinstein

John Feinstein was born in Manhattan on July 28, 1955. His father, Martin Feinstein, was the general director of the Washington National Opera, and his mother, Bernice Feinstein, was an associate professor of music at George Washington University, reported The New York Times.

He graduated from Duke University in 1977 and worked at the school newspaper. The same year he joined The Washington Post as a night police reporter, covering courts and politics before venturing into sports.

He particularly became famous for his coverage of college basketball. He was known for writing books based on a variety of sports, including baseball, football, tennis, golf, and the Olympics.

He reportedly took a leave of absence from The Post in 1985 and moved to Bloomington for six months, where he followed Indiana Hoosiers and their coach, Knight. According to a 2011 interview with C-SPAN, reported by The Hollywood Reporter, he said that he was working as a contributor with The Post.

“I am officially listed as a contributor. Which means I write columns on a regular basis, but I am not a full time employee, because really my first focus is the books.”

He further continued,

“And I work for "The Post" whenever I can, and I still enjoy it. I love daily journalism. I still believe in it, even with all of the changes that have occurred.”

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Feinstein married his first wife, Mary Clare Gibbons, in 1988, reported The New York Times. They took their wedding vows at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in New Vernon, New Jersey. He welcomed a son and daughter with Gibbons, Daniel and Brigid.

He married Christine Bauch in 2010 after her first marriage ended in divorce, reported the outlet. He shared a daughter, Jane, with Bauch.

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