This upcoming Sunday, Jesse Orosco turns 45, which means he was alive when Sputnik was launched, when The Bridge on the River Kwai was released and when Sal Maglie was active.

Orosco made his major-league debut in 1979, for the Mets, whose roster that season included Dock Ellis, Jose Cardenal and Ed Kranepool. Orosco is still pitching for the Dodgers, whose shortstop, Cesar Izturis, wasn't born until 1980. Orosco has pitched in more games than anyone in history, and he has appeared in more games than the combined total of the Devil Rays' pitching staff.

Orosco is not alone in the over-40, four-decade class among active players. Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Morgan is 42; he debuted in the majors in 1978. Marlins outfielder Tim Raines is 42; last season, he played in the same game with his son, Tim Raines Jr. Red Sox outfielder Rickey Henderson is 43; he now has a hit for eight different teams. These guys are proving another wonderful point about baseball -- it doesn't always matter how old you are, or what your body type is, since baseball is a skill sport more than an athletic sport. If you have the skills, you can play deep into your 40s.

Two days before the season began, Morgan walked into the Diamondbacks clubhouse and was embraced by teammate Miguel Batista. "This," Batista said proudly, "is my hero. He can pitch every day without getting tired. He has more energy than anyone on the team."

The Diamondbacks call Morgan, "Mo Man." He simply has a miracle arm, and is pitching for his 12th team, a major-league record. He has reached one goal of pitching in four decades, but Nolan Ryan's record for most seasons by a pitcher (27) seems out of reach (Morgan is in his 22nd year). Still, Morgan laughed and said, "I'm going to pitch until I'm 50. I could be the white Satchel Paige."

Morgan came straight from high school to the Oakland A's in 1978. Jim Essian, his catcher in his major-league debut, told Morgan, "Whatever finger I put down, that's what you throw." To which Morgan replied, "You'll only need one finger because I only throw one pitch, a fastball." That season, Rico Carty, Willie Horton and Tito Fuentes played for the A's, yet, amazingly, Morgan is still pitching. Now, Arizona catcher Damian Miller can put down any of about 10 fingers and Morgan can throw that pitch. Recently, he developed a palmball.

Raines has seen a lot of pitches in his marvelous career, which began with the Expos in 1979, a year in which Tommy Hutton, Tony Perez, Woody Fryman, Rusty Staub and Bill Lee played for Montreal. The fact that Raines is still active 23 years later is remarkable, especially considering he developed a potentially deadly disease, lupus, two years ago, keeping him out of baseball for a year and a half. His weight dropped from 215 to 170. "I haven't weighed 170 since junior high school," Raines said. "I'd go out in baggy clothes, a hat and sunglasses, and people would ask me, 'Tim, is that you?' They thought I was going to die."

He's still playing, he can still hit and he can still run -- though not like he used to. Last season, Raines was traded to Baltimore the last week of the season so he could play next to his son, joining Ken Griffey Sr. as the only players in history to play in the same game with their sons. "I don't even know who they traded for me," Raines said, laughing, at the time. "Maybe it was for a box of baseballs. Or maybe it was for a player to be named later ... me."

Henderson never seems to get sick, and has never been out of shape. He has been sliding headfirst in the major leagues since his debut in 1979 for Oakland, yet his body appears to be in as good a condition as ever. "Situps and pushups every night," says Henderson. "That's all I do."

Henderson, Raines and Ted Williams are the only players to steal a base in four decades; since turning 40, Henderson has stolen 99 bases, which is more than most major leaguers during that same time, including speedy Phillies 31-year-old outfielder Doug Glanville, who has 94 stolen bases over that span.

Collecting hits with eight teams puts Henderson just short of Tommy Davis, who had hits with 10 teams. But Henderson probably has enough records of his own, don't you think? Seemingly there was nothing left for Henderson to play for this season, but he's playing anyway (for only $350,000 with the Red Sox), Maybe it's just to get to 300 home runs (he presently has 290), which would be quite a feat for the man who has obliterated the major-league record for stolen bases (he presently has 1,396 -- second on the all-time stolen base list is Lou Brock with 938).

With each appearance by Orosco, he adds to his major-league-record total of appearances by a pitcher, which was 1,137 through Wednesday. He has been around for so long and, in fact, was once traded for Jerry Koosman, who retired in 1985.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when Orosco turns 45, he will join Charlie Hough, Carlton Fisk, Nolan Ryan, Gaylord Perry, Tommy John, Phil Niekro and Pete Rose as the only players since 1980 (when Minnie Minoso came back briefly at age 57) to play in the majors after turning 45. It would be only fitting if Orosco came in on Sunday against San Diego to face Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs. In 1979, Orosco faced Burroughs' father, Jeff.

Happy birthday, Jesse.

Tim Kurkjian is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and a regular contributor to Baseball Tonight. E-mail tim.kurkjian@espnmag.com.