THIS DAY IN DEVILS HISTORY: June 30

On this day in 1982, the brand new hockey franchise in East Rutherford received their name, the Jersey Devils.

When the team moved from Colorado to New Jersey, the organization launched a contest throughout the state to name the team. Thousands of people cast their votes and the favorite emerged as the Devils.

There was push back due to the religious symbolism of the Devil, but for the state of New Jersey there was another 'Devil' already a part of the culture- the legend of the Jersey Devil. The Jersey Devil was a creature that allegedly lived in the Pine Barrens in South Jersey.

The organization and owner John McMullen announced the Devils as the franchise's name in a press conference on this day.

According to a New York Times article published the morning of the announcement, eleven options were considered for the team and beat out names the following names: "Americans, Blades, Colonials, Lightning, Meadowlarks and Meadowlanders, Coastals, Generals, Gulls, Jaguars and Patriots."