Einsteins Win Both MJCCA Softball Championships

When Dunwoody native Ben Grinzaid was studying at the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv and completing his residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, something was gnawing at him.

Grinzaid was on the fast track to fulfilling his lifelong goal of becoming a pediatrician, yet he couldn’t stop reminiscing about his ball-playing days at The Weber School, for which he was an ace pitcher in the early 2010s, and later for the University of Georgia’s club team. His burning desire to return to the diamond was finally satisfied a few years ago when he returned home to practice at Focus Pediatrics in Sandy Springs, which afforded him the opportunity to participate in the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) Modified Fast Pitch Softball League.

But the 34-year-old Grinzaid hasn’t just participated in the popular and uber-competitive MJCCA softball league — he’s been one of the most dominant sluggers in the 12-team circuit and one of the linchpins of an Einstein’s squad that just captured both championships (a double elimination tournament inclusive of all teams and a stand-alone championship pitting the five best teams against each other) of the 2026 spring season.

“I did the pre-med track and went to medical school and did the whole doctor thing. I kind of fell off the map with baseball,” explained Grinzaid who, as a flamethrowing pitcher for the Weber Rams graced the cover of the AJT in May 2010 (“Grinzaid Leads Charging Rams”). “I’m living the dream. It’s awesome. I look forward to the Thursday night and Sunday games. There’s less pressure, because I just go up swinging. It’s fun. It’s a good time. It’s competitive. People really get into it. I’m definitely feeling like I’m reliving the glory days more than it being a tease. I wish I was an MLB player, but I guess I kind of kissed those dreams good-bye.

“I’m always curious to know if I didn’t stick with medicine, how far I would have gone.”

Grinzaid’s actual line of work is an endlessly demanding one. In addition to providing healthcare services to newborns, infants, toddlers, elementary school children, adolescents, and teens throughout the Greater Atlanta area, Grinzaid is constantly saddled with a heavy volume of administrative paperwork. And yet, even with a wife and two young kids at home, he makes it a priority to attend virtually every single one of his team’s softball games.

“I have to be very professional of course in clinic. I have just been able to let loose and play and have a good time,” added Grinzaid, who has also begun moonlighting as a mohel in the Greater Atlanta area. “I’ve always loved sports. Medicine was a passion also, but this is a way for me to channel the athletic side of me. It’s a good stress relief, for sure.”

One of the many wonderful features of MJCCA softball is that it’s designed to be a family-friendly affair. The spring season, which stretches from early March to around Mother’s Day, is split between Thursday evening and Sunday late morning/early afternoon games. For the latter, players are openly encouraged to bring along their kids, which is truthfully how many are able to make the scheduling work.

However, for those Thursday night games, ones not always played in dry and warm conditions, the bleachers are often largely devoid of fans — with one constant exception: Grinzaid’s father, Jimmy, who several decades ago came over to the U.S. from Russia with very limited knowledge of baseball, but quickly took to the game when his son blossomed into an effective high school pitcher. The elder Grinzaid, formerly one of the most accomplished fencers in the U.S., takes great pride in often comprising a one-person cheering section for his son, who last year bashed a league-leading 15 homers after dedicating himself to the weight room in the off-season.

And after seeing how much sheer joy softball has given his son over the past few years, Jimmy is poised to leave his perch on the bleachers and join Ben on the diamond for the upcoming fall season. After all, rosters are comprised of men ranging from college students to those in their sixties and they have been stacked with quite a few father-son duos through the years.

“Oh my gosh, that would be cool,” said Ben, also a gifted golfer, who was a member of a four-person team that just captured the recent Weber charity golf tournament. “I mean, I would love to play with him. I think he’s the only person in the stands who has come to all the games.”

Grinzaid’s Einsteins team had quite a run this spring. After a so-so regular season during which they entered the playoffs as the No.5 seed, the now-defending league champs got hot when the games really mattered. When the league switched back to denser softballs midway through the season after experimenting with softer ones in the early going, the Einsteins’ deep lineup flexed its collective muscle in the postseason, clearing the fences multiple times each game. The club, captained by veteran pitcher Albert Rostin, was actually down 9-1 in the seventh inning of the regular season title game against the Schwartz Schmeckles before storming back to win 22-12, thanks to an impressive power display. Worthy league champs, indeed.

While every member of the Einsteins will likely return for the MJCCA fall slate of games, there will not be another Einsteins team. Come Labor Day Weekend, players will be drafted by new teams, and the makeup of the league will look vastly different from this spring. But no matter where their respective softball careers take them, Grinzaid and his teammates have cemented their place in the annals of MJCCA softball.

“You can’t beat a double championship,” said Ben.