Ask Margaret
by Margaret Word Burnside
Geraldo Urias of the third generation, passed the Globe of
Death legacy to Victor’s sons, Erwin and Melvin.
Jose Urias, Sr. built the original Globe of Death in 1912 by
crisscrossing heavy steel straps, that he held in place with
hand-pounded steel rivets to create a woven-like pattern. He
rode inside the Globe on motor bikes that lacked the power
and sophistication of today’s motorcycles.
In 1978, while transporting the Globe of Death between
performances with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey
Circus, Victor was struck from behind by an 18-wheeler truck,
when the driver inadvertently fell asleep. Fortunately,
Victor and his family received only minor injuries. However,
pieces of the Globe of Death and the motorcycles were spread
out for about a mile along the highway. The Globe was quickly
pieced back together, re-welded and ready in time for the next
show. Erwin and Melvin, who were napping in the R.V.-like
box truck that was towing the Globe, have vivid memories
of the unfortunate incident. Soon after that, the Ringling
engineers helped their father find a safer way to transport the
giant Globe. The Urias Family, which was the Ringling Bros.
and Barnum and Bailey Circus’ first-ever Globe riding act,
continued to perform with the venerable Circus until 1986, as
well as from 1999 to 2000, and from 2008 to 2009. Victor and a
Urias side of the family cousin, Douglas McValley, were a
highlight of the famous Circus’ 110th edition shows.
Do the daredevils I’ve seen over the years
riding motorcycles inside a large metal
sphere really live in the Tampa Bay area?
G.L., St. Petersburg
The fourth and even fifth generations of the Urias family of
riders live in Sarasota, which is within the Tampa Bay area.
Fourth generation brothers Erwin and Melvin Urias grew up
in nearby Englewood. The famous family members practice,
refine stunts and create new crowd-thrilling acts in Jodie and
Erwin Urias’ large backyard. The neighbors are so accustomed
to their activities that, according to Erwin, they pay about the
same amount of attention to the chilling practice sessions, as
they do to a family member walking to the mailbox. However,
visitors to the community can often be seen peeking over the
fence to watch the family’s activities in awe.
Erwin and Melvin met their wives, Jodie and Olga
respectively, while they were performing in the same venues.
Jodie had taken a year off between high school and college to
“run away and join the circus.” When offered a job to stay on
as an aerialist, she accepted. Olga, who is from Russia, trained
with her sister there at circus school, where they learned
acrobatics and hand balancing to become first generation
performers. Both Jodie and Olga have the ability to ride in the
Globe. However, Jodie prefers to stand or be suspended unprotected
within its center, as the riders whiz around her. Olga,
on the other hand, likes to ride in the Globe just like “one of the
boys,” only to surprise the audiences, when she takes off her
helmet and jacket and fluffs out her hair.
The next, fifth generation, of Urias performers is preparing
to join the troupe. Erwin and Jodie’s 14-year-old son and
11-year-old daughter are already proficient riders. In addition,
their daughter is quite accomplished with hula hoops. The two
of them are often included in the family act when a show’s
contracts and timing allow it. They are home schooled of
necessity, since the Urias Family is in great demand and is
almost constantly traveling throughout the world to perform
in close to 500 engagements a year.
The first generation of the Urias Family‘s spine-tingling
Globe of Death cyclists was Erwin’s and Melvin’s great-grandfather
Jose Urias. His son Jose Urias, II was the second generation
of the family’s entertaining riders, whose sons Victor and
142 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2015