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. “) //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.