Man killed was 'leader among volunteers'

By PAULA TRACY
Union Leader Staff

GRANTHAM -- Jim Owen sent out an e-mail last week to fellow tennis enthusiasts at the Eastman Resort asking for help clearing the snow off the platform tennis court.

At 64, a leader among volunteers, Owen was also "an avid and excellent tennis player," said neighbor Tony Parra, who received one of Owen's electronic pleas for assistance in removing what would end up being more than 20 inches of snow from the aluminum deck of the 60-by-30 foot heated platform.

Traditionally "we all go out and remove snow with a shovel and broom," said Parra. It was Owen's idea to handle the large amount with his snowblower.

He wrote he was thinking of bringing his snowblower to the courts, out near an overflow parking area for the golf and cross country center, provided he could get a truck.

Retired and a resident of Eastman Shore Road with his wife, Marge, Owen volunteered on tennis and paddle tennis court scheduling. Platform tennis -- better known as paddle tennis -- is a winter sport and the aluminum decks are heated from below to consume snowflakes during play, but are not designed to melt snow. Players use a paddle similar to raquetball and the ball is made of sponge rubber. The court is 20 percent smaller than a regular tennis court.

A propane leak under the skirted, four-foot high platform was somehow sparked during the removal effort, causing a massive explosion that killed Owen and wounded three others.

"Jim was the coordinator of the schedule of play on this paddle court and we were hoping to resume play on it this week," Parra said.

Owen died about 2 p.m. Sunday in an explosion that rocked the 8,000-pound tennis court and tore its metal floor apart.

Morton Shea, 68, of Turnbuckle Road was listed in serious condition with multiple fractures at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. Anthony Crecca, 61, of Azore Bay was in fair condition with multiple fractures while Robert Kessler, 64, of Morninghollow Lane was treated at the scene and released.

Yesterday, the community at Eastman, a private residential enclave of about 800 full time residents, was in mourning.

"It's terrible when you think about four guys going off to do a volunteer chore," said Parra, who said he was removing snow at his home and missed the explosion.

"We were all supposed to get there at 1 p.m." he said. "I got involved in my own snow," and when he took notice of the time it was almost 3.

John Haas came by the wreckage of the paddle tennis courts and could hardly believe how a section of the metal floor was sticking up into the sky.

"Just awful," he said.

Joan Huber of Grantham is coordinating assistance for the victims but declined comment last night.

While a vigil continues at Dartmouth-Hitchcock for the hospitalized pair, arrangements for Owen's funeral were incomplete last night.