Rumors that the Boston Globe’s early-retirement buyout program would claim some of the biggest names at the paper have turned out to be exaggerated.

The identities of the most prominent retirees — political columnist David Nyhan and sports columnist Will McDonough — leaked out weeks ago. Nyhan’s swaggering presence will be missed, but McDonough will continue to write his weekly column on a freelance basis. Some retirement.

Of the names that emerged this week, the best-known may be Paul Szep, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who peaked during the Nixon era, and who in recent years has been reduced to drawing a lame cartoon called Mr. Zeep (formerly Top Secrets) for the funny pages.

Columnist Ellen Goodman, film critic Jay Carr, art critic Christine Temin, and classical-music critic Richard Dyer, all of whom were subjects of retirement speculation, will stay on.

Overall, 185 Globe employees took the buyout, which was aimed at reducing payroll during a time when advertising revenues are falling. Globe officials say layoffs will not be necessary, thus confirming what publisher Richard Gilman and editor Matt Storin told the Phoenix earlier this month (see “Squeezing the Globe,” News and Features, June 8).

Although the buyouts resulted in fewer fireworks than expected, the newsroom will still be losing a sizable contingent. According to insiders, the list includes managing editor for administration Louisa Williams; foreign editor Nils Bruzelius; health-and-science editor Doug Bailey; Focus writer Adam Pertman; business reporters Jerry Ackerman, Richard Kindleberger, and Bruce Butterfield; feature writers Nathan Cobb, Diane White, Patti Doten, and William Davis; health-and-science reporters Larry Tye, Richard Saltus, and David Chandler; animal columnist Vicki Croke; society columnist Julie Hatfield; film critic Michael Blowen; photographers Bill Brett and Pam Berry; Boston Globe Magazine writer Judith Gaines; handyman columnist Peter Hotton; travel editor Jerry Morris; City Weekly editor Jordana Hart; news reporter Richard Higgins; Globe Magazine assistant editor Jan Freeman; editorial writer Bruce Davidson; and newsroom administrator Linda Hunt.

Some of these people will be more retired than others; look for Brett to keep shooting the Monday “Party Lines” feature and for Freeman to keep writing her Focus-section language column on a freelance basis. Hotton may continue to write as well.

Meanwhile, Globe management is taking steps to boost morale after months of downsizing and cutbacks. On Monday, employees arrived at 135 Morrissey Boulevard to find a big sign reading welcome globe team 2001. Inside, president Rick Daniels passed out Globe baseball caps, and staffers chowed down on a post-buyout spread of pastry, coffee, and juice. It remains to be seen whether anything other than calories was gained.

The big event, though, was scheduled for this Thursday, June 28, at 4 p.m. That’s when a “Survivors” party, organized by columnists Brian McGrory and Steve Bailey, was to be held on the Globe’s roof.

Issue Date: June 28 - July 5, 2001