The invention of nachos is credited to Ignacio 'Nacho' Anaya in 1943. Then maître d’ at the Victory Club in Piedras Negras (across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas), Anaya improvised a dish of tortilla chips, melted cheese, and jalapeños for traveling U.S. Army wives who were hungry. Nachos were first introduced in Los Angeles in 1959.
A modified version of the dish, with permanently soft cheese and pre-made tortilla chips was marketed beginning in 1977, during sporting events at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This version of nachos became known as "Ball Park Nachos" and during a Monday Night Football game, sportscaster Howard Cosell made a point of mentioning the dish in his broadcasts over the following weeks and introduced it to a whole new audience.