WBSC Softball Hall of Fame member Li Minkuan passes away at 89

Li Minkuan, China’s head coach at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games and a member of the WBSC Softball Hall of Fame, has passed away in Beijing, China, at the age of 89. He led the Chinese National Team to a historic silver medal at Atlanta 1996, the country's only Olympic softball medal to date.

Born in Osaka, Japan, in October 1937, Li Minkuan is widely credited with laying the foundations for China’s competitive women’s softball program — guiding its evolution from provincial-level teams to a world-class national squad during the pivotal development period of the 1970s through the 1990s. He's known as the "father of Chinese softball".

Li began coaching the Chinese National Team in 1979 and quickly established China as a global contender. Under his leadership, China captured three consecutive medals at the Women’s Softball World Cup: silver in 1986 and 1994, and bronze in 1990. His teams also claimed two consecutive Asian Games gold medals and three straight Asian Championships titles.

At the 26th Olympic Games in 1996, Li led China to its first-ever Olympic silver medal in softball. After posting a 5–2 record in the round robin to secure second place, China battled through a dramatic playoff series — falling 1–0 to the USA in a 10-inning semifinal thriller, then defeating Australia 4–2 to reach the Gold Medal Game. China ultimately earned the silver medal after a 3–1 loss to the USA.

In recognition of his achievements and contributions to the sport, Li Minkuan was inducted into the WBSC Softball Hall of Fame in 1999.

Cover photo, taken in 2011, courtesy of Beijing Wuzi University