2007 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Fred Fletcher Sr.

For more than a half-century, Fred Fletcher, Sr. was an active part of Raleigh’s growth. The eldest son of A.J. Fletcher, he was a broadcaster through and through. His flair for humor and his ability to create a variety of voices made him a perfect match for radio.

Born in Apex in 1910, Fletcher grew up in Raleigh and graduated from Hugh Morson High School in 1927. He received his undergraduate degree in community work from George Williams College in Chicago and stayed in the area to work in recreation and sports with a South Chicago YMCA. He returned to Raleigh in 1939 to help his father start WRAL-AM. Fletcher later received a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Fletcher started at the station as an announcer, then became program director and was named general manager in 1942. In 1956 he became the Vice President and General Manager of WRAL-AM-FM-TV and eventually became President of Capitol Broadcasting Company. He retired in 1975.

In the 1940s Fletcher became infamous in the Triangle for his on-air performances. His most lauded effort was a daily radio program “Tempus Fugit.” As the Fairy Tale Man he delighted children and adults alike. Fletcher was a one-man show, making his own sound affects and doing the voices for all characters. Fletcher helped to win the first VHF television license in Raleigh for WRAL and made his own transition to television with the advent of this station. His professional career was marked by a lifetime of firsts. Among them, the first network of shortwave radio operators to collect and disseminate hurricane information under emergency conditions; first North Carolina radio news network; first North Carolina sports broadcasting network; first North Carolina broadcast from Madison Square Garden; and hiring the South’s first African-American morning man.

Fletcher served on the Raleigh City Council from 1947 to 1949. For more than 50 years, he served Raleigh and Wake County as a member of various Parks and Recreation commissions. He chaired the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Commission from 1956 to 1985, constantly lobbying for open space and recreation centers. In 1975, the Raleigh City Council granted Fletcher an unprecedented lifetime voting membership on the city Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. He continued to be a dedicated advocate for quality leisure programs and was directly involved with youth programs, senior citizen clubs, cultural activities and special events.

In the early 1980s the city acquired and named Fred Fletcher Park in his honor. In 1985, he was the recipient of the Robert M. Artz Award given annually by the National Recreation and Parks Association to recognize the country’s outstanding citizen-board members.

Fred Fletcher Sr. exemplified the spirit of community. His unwavering support and commitment to the benefits of parks and recreation contributed significantly to enriching the lives of citizens of the capital city. Fred Fletcher died on January 8, 2000, at the age of 89.

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For more information, please write:

Raleigh Hall of Fame
PO Box 6128, Raleigh, NC 27628-6128

Or email information@raleighhalloffame.org or call (919) 787-9617.