Born in Wisconsin and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin school of law, Doug Pledger started his radio career in Los Angeles. He arrived in the Bay Area in 1948, announcing Stanford University football games on San Mateo station KSMO.
It wasn’t long before Pledger had switched to KNBC to host the morning “Doug Pledger Show,” eventually adding an evening show, “Pledger’s Polka Party”. Pledger stayed with the station through the change to KNBR, departing when Frank Dill was hired to host the morning show. He worked briefly at Concord’s KWUN before making a final career move.
Pledger’s many years on classical-music station KKHI built a loyal following. “Pledger at the Opera” and “Pledger Plays the Classics” were two of his well-known programs. Pledger’s classical-music broadcasts were nationally-syndicated.
Pledger was part of a group that purchased San Mateo’s Spanish-language KOFY-AM in 1976. He also operated an advertising agency for many years.
Doug Pledger died in 2008 at age 89.
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