After failing to gain more than 8.3% of the votes for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame over a 12-year period, Haines was voted in by the Veterans Committee in 1970. Frankie Frisch, a member of the VC, also shepherded the selections of his teammates Dave Bancroft and Chick Hafey in 1971, Ross Youngs in 1972, George Kelly in 1973, Jim Bottomley in 1974, and Freddie Lindstrom in 1976. After the committee selected Haines, Frisch commented that Haines was "a worthy, worthy man... a great competitor, a fine fellow off and on the field." Sabermetrician Bill James has listed Haines as one of ten examples of Hall of Fame inductees who do not deserve the honor.