Freddy Benamy, 76, of Atlanta
Fredric Sheldon Benamy, 76, of Atlanta died July 21, 2013 of complications from diabetes.
When it came to softball, Freddy Benamy wanted nothing more than to be the best in the country, even if it meant he had to coach a bunch of Brats. After coaching his son Maury and daughter Lauren, along with other fantastic youth athletes, his thirst for championships grew stronger.
Originating out of Briarcliff Community Sports (BCS), his 18-and-Under Girls’ Softball teams became so dominant that they began to pursue national titles and had to change their name to the Atlanta Brats. “I love it. It keeps me young,” Benamy once said while defending their ASA National Slowpitch Softball Championship.
He was President of BCS in 1980 and was inducted into the Georgia USSSA Hall of Fame in 2002. But those who knew and loved Freddy knew that it was not only the pursuit of the trophies – of which the Brats won in excess of 100, including three national championships. He also loved coaching, teaching and molding these young girls into mature, responsible women with high self-esteem. It is these accomplishments off the field, including his great works as a father and grandfather that simply cannot be measured in a trophy case.
The son of Rose and Sol Benamy, Freddy was a native of Atlanta. He attended Morningside Elementary School, Grady High School and the University of Georgia, where he was a member of Tau Epsilon Phi. He was a fanatic when it came to supporting his Bulldogs. In high school and college, despite only being 5 feet 4 inches tall, he was widely considered one of the best Jewish athletes the city of Atlanta had ever seen.
Even as he became less speedy on the basketball and tennis courts, he is still remembered for often pitching entire games of fast-pitch softball without ever letting the cigar in his mouth fall to the ground. Benamy loyally watched every Braves, Falcons, and Bulldogs game for the past 46 years. He was an original season-ticket holder for the Flames and Falcons. But more important than watching the pro-athletes, he treasured watching all his grandchildren’s games, recitals and other activities.
When he wasn’t watching a game or hanging with his grandkids, he could often be found playing in any number of poker games with players of all ages, many of whom simply called him Uncle Freddy. And whether he was at the poker table or not, Uncle Freddy always lived his life one way – all in!
Benamy is survived by his wife, Gloria Adler Benamy; children, Maury Benamy and Lauren Benamy Kahn and son-in-law Danny Kahn; four grandchildren, Jarad Kahn, Jenny Kahn, Caitlin Benamy, and Cora Benamy; sister and brother-in-law, Rita and Ronnie Klee; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Toni and Joel Adler; several nieces and nephews; and multitudes of cousins and friends.
Sign online guestbook at www.edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the William Breman Jewish Home or Marcus Jewish Community Center or Ahavath Achim Synagogue. A funeral service was held graveside on July 22 at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, Atlanta.
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