Longtime DC Broadcaster Craig Heist Passes Away

Longtime Washington sports broadcaster Craig Heist has passed away. Heist was best known as the Nationals postgame host on 106.7 The Fan, where he had been a familiar voice since 2013. The Washington Nationals released a statement from owner Mark Lerner calling Heist “a friend to all who met him,” adding that he would be remembered for his “kindness, enthusiasm, and passion for baseball.”

Heist’s career began in 1979 at WKHI Ocean City, where he worked as a DJ, sportscaster, and news anchor while still a student at Salisbury University. Over the next four decades, he became a fixture in the Mid-Atlantic sports scene, covering both the Nationals and Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles paid tribute on social media, writing, “We send our condolences to his wife, Suzanne, and the many friends he made throughout his career.”

Heist was one of those rare broadcasters who seemed to know everyone between D.C. and Baltimore. Washington Post reporter Tom Schad called him “an absolute fixture in the local sports media scene… always friendly and kind.” His presence in the press box, his humor, and his genuine love for the game made him one of the most respected and well-liked figures in Washington sports media.