Shula, Three Others Headed For Hall

One part of this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame election was a no-brainer. Don Shula, eligible for the first time, is the winningest coach in NFL history.

Shula’s 347 victories over a 33-year coaching career made him almost an automatic pick Saturday. He was elected, along with Wellington Mara, who has spent 60 years as an executive in the league; cornerback Mike Haynes, who played 14 seasons for the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Raiders; and center Mike Webster, who played 17 seasons, almost all of them with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Three other finalists, Seniors candidate Jerry Kramer, Lynn Swann and Dwight Stephenson, failed to get the 80 percent vote necessary for election from the 36-member board of selectors. Stephenson and Swann will be automatic nominees for the 1998 election because they were finalists this year.

Earlier, nominees Carl Eller, Ray Guy, Paul Krause, Tom Mack, Ozzie Newsome, John Stallworth, Ron Yary and Jack Younglood were eliminated.

Shula was a shoo-in. “People said it was a lock, but until it happens you wait for it to happen,” he said of his election.

His teams compiled a winning percentage of .665 and he reached the Super Bowl a record six times. He also coached Miami to a 17-0 record in 1972, the only perfect season in NFL history.

Mara’s father, Tim, founded the New York Giants in 1925 and Wellington hung around the team, first as a ballboy and then, after graduating from Fordham in 1937, became the club’s secretary.

Mara, 80, later served as vice president before becoming president following the death of his older brother, Jack, in 1965.

Haynes split his 14-year career between the Patriots and Raiders. He had eight interceptions and led the AFC with 608 punt return yards as a rookie in 1976.

He finished his career with 46 interceptions, played in eight Pro Bowls and was chosen All-Pro four times.

Webster played for Pittsburgh from 1974-1988, then finished his career with Kansas City. He played every game for 10 straight seasons and was a member of the Steelers’ four Super Bowl champions. He played in nine Pro Bowls.