SHULA, HAYNES IN HALL OF FAME : STEELERS' WEBSTER, GIANTS OWNER ALSO MAKE IT TO CANTON.

Byline: Hal Bock Associated Press 

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.

Case closed.

Shula's 347 victories over a 33-year coaching record 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 Youngblood 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 the Miami Dolphins to a 17-0 record in 1972, the only perfect season in NFL history.

He said he was particularly fond of the '72 team.

``We'd win the toss, keep the ball seven or eight minutes, score a touchdown, hold them three-and-out, hold the ball seven or eight more minutes, score another touchdown, be ahead 14-0 and the first half's near over.

``That's great coaching.''

Shula came into the league with Cleveland in 1951 as a cornerback out of John Carroll University, the only rookie on coach Paul Brown's defending champions. He was traded to Baltimore in a 15-player deal in 1953 and finished his playing career at Washington in 1957.

After coaching at Virginia and Kentucky, he returned to the NFL as defensive coordinator with Detroit from 1960-62, then was appointed coach of the Colts in 1963 at age 33, the youngest coach in the history of the league at that time.

He took Baltimore to the 1969 Super Bowl, where the Joe Namath-led New York Jets upset the Colts. It was one of the few disappointments in his coaching career.

After seven seasons and a 73-26-4 record in Baltimore, Shula moved to Miami. Only twice did he have losing seasons and in a remarkable stretch from 1964 through 1985, his teams finished first or tied for first 17 times.

He was the youngest coach to reach 100 victories, 200 victories and 300 victories and broke George Halas' record of 318 victories Nov. 14, 1993, beating Philadelphia, 19-14.

``Only being with two franchises in 33 years as a head coach was a real satisfaction,'' Shula said.

``To have a long career, you have to win early and then be consistent. I'm very proud of averaging 10 wins for more than 30 years. Today, the scrutiny is so much greater and the pressure is so much greater on coaches. And with free agency, people are coming and going so much, it's tougher to build relationships.''

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

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

Mara, 80, now shares ownership of the team with Robert Tisch and has been president of the NFC since 1984. He also has served on numerous NFL committees and is co-chairman of the league's long-range planning committee and a member of the NFL Management Council's executive committee.

``I'm very honored and surprised at my election to the Hall of Fame,'' Mara said. ``I don't feel like I've ever been one to make or contribute to the headlines. I guess my chief qualification is longevity.''

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.

``When I came in, I was on a team that the year before won only three games but was loaded with talent,'' Haynes said. ``And the following year, we lost only three games. I got a lot of credit for that turnaround.''

He left New England in 1983 to sign with the Raiders. Haynes made an interception in the 1984 Super Bowl in the Raiders' 38-9 victory over Washington.

``I think winning the Super Bowl with the Raiders had a lot to do with me getting in because the defensive secondary got credit for why we upset the Redskins,'' Haynes said.

He finished his career with 46 interceptions, played in eight Pro Bowls and was chosen All-Pro twice with New England and twice with the Raiders.

Webster played for Pittsburgh from 1974-1988, then finished his career with Kansas City. He played every game for 10 straight seasons.

HAYNES HIGHLIGHTS

Years played: 1976-1990.

Career interceptions: 46

Patriots highlights: Seven seasons. Eight interceptions as a rookie with 608 punt-return yards.

Raiders highlights: Seven seasons. Won Super Bowl first season ('83).

Pro Bowls: 8.

Quoteable: ``I'm probably more of a Raider than a Patriot because I live in California and I won a Super Bowl with the Raiders, but I want to go in as both a Raider and a Patriot.''

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Chart

Photo: Mike Haynes, who went to Marshall High in L.A. and played for the Los Angeles Raiders, is considered one of the all-time best cornerbacks.

Daily News File Photo

Chart: HAYNES HIGHLIGHTS (see text)