Legal to provide play by play game description?

copyright trademark law

[Zenner]

At the end of Televised sports events, there is always a statement of copyright (i think) of the broadcast.

If I write a book, about a game (say baseball).. could I provide a play by play description of the game? (legally)

To the detail of ... first batter was XXXX, first pitch was a inside fast ball, .. Batter XXXX hit a drive over the 2nd baseman's head etc...

(description drawn only from watching the game, obviously avoiding any quotes of the commentators)
thanks

[Webwork]

1. Webmasters don't do legal opinions, even when we are lawyers also.

2. Read the Major League Baseball site.

3. Ask MLB what they think, since they're the ones most likely to sue you if you're misguided.

4. If you listen closely to the post broadcast statement I believe it includes descriptions. I've always pondered the extend of that (it's a performance) but have never researched it. I somewhat doubt they'd bother making the claim so publicly if they didn't have a leg to stand on, but I don't know.

[HughMungus]

You can't. Otherwise everybody and their brother would be doing webcasts for out-of-market games that they see on TV (which would affect the MLB's ability to sell stuff like their own live webcasts, radio stations' ability to make money broadcasting games, and satellite broadcasters' ability to make money showing out-of-market games via subscription packages).