A bit sad to see one of the last vestiges of “Old Las Vegas” (at least from the 70s) finally bite the dust… literally! Mel Exber was A Class Act = perhaps a last vestige of Old Las Vegas too = style, grace AND Humor as an always well-dressed gentleman… and a ‘walking encyclopedia’ on American Sport!!

The trophy-design statue above the Las Vegas Club entrance was a POS that arrived from the east coast. Mel got ‘burned’ by that company, where I was invited from California to ‘attempt’ to repair the piece with a difficult re-work semblance of Mel’s intended Reggie Jackson. Probably, that statue has ended-up at YESCO (Young Electric Sign Company) who fabricated the entire ‘trophy’ element. Reggie predictably now rests in YESCOs “boneyard”, once on W. Reno Ave, surrounded by The Showgirls statues from the now defunct Treasury Hotel, that I also sculpted in 1979…. MANY elements of truly historic Old Las Vegas Era architecture ‘should be’ persevered-n-housed in a Vegas Version of a Western Smithsonian…. including memorable items from the old Dunes, Sands, Frontier, the original MGM, and certainly from Wayne Newton’s once illustrious Aladdin….. In my humble opinion!!

I think there will be some great touches and amenities, but not themed, so we sort of know what’s going in there. I’ll keep prodding, though!

Isn’t it, though? There’s a lot of engineering going on. They can’t reach too far forward, or the side, or it could get too top heavy.

Dive into the archive! A blog doesn’t get named the best blog in Las Vegas for sitting on its arse. “) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XygHTxrV8qM

I’m guessing it is Mickey Mantle. I think Mel Exber was the primary owner during the expansion phase (Built the hotel towers, enlarged the casino floor, etc.). He grew up in Brooklyn before WW II, and was a huge sports fan, especially Dodgers, Yankees, and Giants. He was also an early sports book operator.
I recall the baseball player is batting left handed, taking a power swing and wearing short sleeves. The sleeve style fits the 1950s, the swing fits the MIck, and he was a switch hitter.