What are the 1987 Swiss Colony ciphers?

Did anyone solve the 1987 'Crypto-gift' contest that was run by
Swiss Colony?  My friend and I worked on it for 4 months, but
didn't get anywhere.  My friend solved the 1986 puzzle in
about a week and won $1000.  I fear that we missed some clue that
makes it incredibly easy to solve.  I'm including the code, clues
and a few notes for those of you so inclined to give it a shot.

                    197,333,318,511,824,
                    864,864,457,197,333,
                    824,769,372,769,864,
        865,457,153,824,511,223,845,318,
        489,953,234,769,703,489,845,703,
        372,216,457,509,333,153,845,333,
        511,864,621,611,769,707,153,333,
        703,197,845,769,372,621,223,333,
        197,845,489,953,223,769,216,223,
        769,769,457,153,824,511,372,223,
        769,824,824,216,865,845,153,769,
        333,704,511,457,153,333,824,333,
        953,372,621,234,953,234,865,703,
        318,223,333,489,944,153,824,769,
        318,457,234,845,318,223,372,769,
        216,894,153,333,511,611,
        769,704,511,153,372,621,
        197,894,894,153,333,953,
                234,845,318,223

        CHRIS IS BACK WITH GOLD FOR YOU
          HIS RHYMES CONTAIN THE SECRET.
        YOU SCOUTS WHO'VE EARNED YOUR MERIT BADGE
          WILL QUICKLY LEARN TO READ IT.
        SO WHEN YOUR CHRISTMAS HAM'S ALL GONE
          AND YOU'RE READY FOR THE TUSSLE,
        BALL UP YOUR HAND INTO A FIST
          AND SHOW OUR MOUSE YOUR MUSCLE.
        PLEASE READ THESE CLUES WE LEAVE TO YOU
          BOTH FINE ONES AND THE COARSE;
        IF CARE IS USED TO HEED THEM ALL 
          YOU'LL SUFFER NO REMORSE.

Notes:
The puzzle comes as a jigsaw that when assembled has the list of
numbers.  They are arranged as indicated on the puzzle, with commas.
The lower right corner has a drawing of 'Secret Agent Chris Mouse'.
He holds a box under his arm which looks like the box 
the puzzle comes in.  The upper left
corner has the words 'NEW 1987 $50,000 Puzzle'.  The lower
left corner is empty.  The clues are printed on the
entry form in upper case, with the punctuation as shown.

                                        Ed Rupp
                                        ...!ut-sally!oakhill!ed
                                        Motorola, Inc., Austin Tx.