Large crowds had been banned on the West Coast due to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor .
Bowl officials accepted an offer from Duke to host the game in Durham , making this the only time the game has ever been played outside of Pasadena .
Large crowds had been banned on the West Coast due to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor , and bowl officials accepted an offer from Duke to host the game in Durham , making this the only time the game has ever been played outside of Pasadena .