Add to ORKGBlack and white photograph of Rice Owls basketball player Bill Tom Closs, accompanied by text headlining his achievement of the Distinguished "R" Award.Caption reads: Bill Tom Closs attended Rice at the age of 16, playing basketball all four years. In his senior year, he led the conference in scoring and earned all-America honors. He graduated in 1943 with a B.S. in physical education and a minor in business administration. In 1971, Closs was elected in to the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2003 had his basketball jersey retired along with five other Rice all-Americas. Closs joined the Marine Reserve while still at Rice in 1942, and upon graduation went to boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. He then was sent to Marine Officer Training in Qu...
