Crane became a member of the Billiard Congress of America's hall of fame in 1978. In 1999, Crane was number eight on "Billiard Digest's" fifty greatest players of the century. In 1980 Crane retired from professional play. He stopped playing entirely in about 1996. On 17 November 17 2001, four days after entering a nursing home, Crane died of natural causes. He was 88 years old.