Aside from roaring parties in hotels and casinos, Nevada was also a test site for nuclear explosions. In case we forget, there was a military base there too! The test pictured here was conducted on July 5, 1956, and tested the explosion of a 75-kiloton device from a balloon.
From 1951 to 1992, the United States government carried out a whopping 1,021 nuclear tests in Nevada. 100 were done in the air and 921 were conducted underground. The government even set up special places to test nuclear rockets and ramjet engines. That’s quite a history of scientific exploration alongside the pleasures of Vegas.
Sammy Davis Jr. and His Eye Patch
Sammy Davis Jr. lost his left eye in a horrific accident on November 15, 1954. He had been driving all night from Las Vegas to Los Angeles for a recording session. The accident occurred around 7 am when his car collided, and his face hit the metal steering wheel hub of his lime green Cadillac.
During that time, cars didn't come with seat belts like we have now. He ended up losing his eye due to the impact and wore a glass eye for the rest of his life. After recovery, Davis Jr. was back on stage. During the opening of his first performance back, the entertainer removed his eye patch and revealed his glass eye. He then continued as normal with the show. Here he is doing the act backstage.
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson was a boxing legend from Michigan who ruled as the world welterweight champ from 1946 to 1951. They didn't call him “pound-for-pound the best” for nothing! Despite making millions in the ring, the boxer faced financial troubles by the mid-1960s. But he didn't back down and found a new calling - showbiz.
Here we see Robinson with future boxing stars Greg Genochio and Jimmy Gay. They seem to be getting boxing tips! That the gloves seem bigger than both kids combined makes it all the more endearing! Although he did a fine job at dancing, Robinson would always be remembered for his moves in the ring.
Sinatra Owned a Casino
When Sinatra's career was going through a rough patch and only the casinos run by the mob were willing to host him, he started performing in Las Vegas. Sinatra's luck turned in 1952 when he nabbed an Oscar for his role in “From Here to Eternity.” The victory was a win for both him and Las Vegas.
Whenever Sinatra stepped onto the stage of a Vegas hotel, the crowds flocked in. Las Vegas became his playground. He was even more involved than you might think, holding a 2 percent stake in the Sands hotel. Sinatra was the ideal casino owner because he was an avid gambler himself! Here we can see him dealing in baccarat at the Sands Casino in 1959.
The Flamingo
After multiple failed developments, the Charles Pop-owned site was sold and the Flamingo Hotel and Casino were erected in 1946 by Bugsy Siegel. Siegel was particularly drawn to Las Vegas in 1945 thanks to his keen interest in legalized gambling and off-track betting. He bought the El Cortez hotel for $600,000 and sold it for a $166,000 profit.
Thanks to this money and a little help from his buddies in organized crime, Siegel took over the Flamingo Hotel project. It was the first luxury hotel in the area and was supposedly named after Siegel's girlfriend Virginia Hill who was nicknamed "Flamingo." Why flamingo? Because she had flaming hair and legs that supposedly went on for miles.